Gluttony
by Espionage Commitment
Summary: Mayu Hidari loves two things in this world: playing piano and her friendship with Yukari. A year after she runs away from home, the queen of this great country has taken interest in her musical talent and invites her to become her royal musician. As she becomes acquainted with the palace and its servants, Mayu begins to realize this place houses a sinister secret.
1. Overture

**Pssst. This is technically part 3 of a vocaloid fanfiction series. If you wish to read part 1 and 2, check out my page. The first story is Pride, then Lust. Okay, bye.**

The vibration of the keys sent shivers down my spine. I stared hard at the dots and lines barely visible by the dim candlelight. Trying to transform the scratch marks on the page into movements of my fingers into music, I felt alive.

The song I chose at random that night was very loud and dramatic. The empty opera house burst to life with every chord. I was too immersed in the song of war to notice the inkling of approaching light out of the corner of my eye.

"Oi! Who are you?"

I jumped at the deep male voice. The music stopped abruptly. Partly frustrated at not being able to finish and partly intimidated at the large suited man holding a candle up to my face, I sneered and took off running.

My jet black cloak flapped behind me as I sprinted up the shallow steps. Heavy footsteps tailed me through the lobby and out the double doors of the great building. A pale moon and freezing air greeted me as my heavy breaths turned to white clouds in front of me. I immediately turned to the right and slipped into a shadowed alleyway. My pursuer started to lag.

I scurried along through the maze of passages I knew so well. Every turn brought me farther away from the man who I presumed was an officer. From the brief glance I had at him, he didn't seem very in-shape, so I wasn't surprised when after only ten minutes, he was completely gone.

I sighed and leaned against the nearest building which happened to be where I presided. Taking a last deep breath, I pulled open the door to the five story tenement. After walking up three flights of stairs, pushing in the small key to my rooms, and slamming the door to announce my presence, a small purple-haired girl popped out from a corner.

"You're back early, Mayu," she spoke with the slightest hint of sarcasm.

I sighed again and pulled off my cloak, revealing my blonde hair that faded into red, green, yellow, blue, and purple. It was so unique I had to wear a hood when I went out in public to not draw attention to myself. I, especially, didn't desire needless attention.

"Yeah, yeah. Some officer came in right when it was getting good. I swear they are spying on me now," I replied hastily.

"As long as you didn't bring them back here. I don't want us to spend our debuts in prison."

"Don't worry, Yuka! I am a master at deception. Plus, I think our big break is coming soon. I can feel it," I assured.

I lived with my best friend, Yuzuki Yukari. For whatever reason, I had always called her Yuka. She was the same age as me, eighteen, and was usually full of animation when it wasn't about 3 AM, which it was then. We both worked as assistants to an instrument maker stationed a few blocks down. Yuka's gift was the violin. Mine was the piano. We took care of our specialties at the craftsman's shop. We had shared the small tenement for eleven months by that time. She took me in. I had no idea where I would have been if it wasn't for her.

She had a violin, but I couldn't buy a piano. My boss would have my head on a stake if I snuck into his place to practice. So, I improvised and found the opera house.

"Well, you're back and not dead or arrested. I'm going back to sleep." Yuka yawned and stepped back behind the wall into our bedroom which held two single beds. The bedroom was to the left of the kitchen where I was, and to the right of the kitchen and dining area, there was a small water closet. That comprised our home.

I began to follow, but stopped when I spotted an envelope on the wood kitchen table.

"What's this, Yuka?" I called.

"Oh. I don't know. It's addressed to you," she responded.

I looked around and found a letter opener. It wasn't every day that we received mail, let alone _I_ received mail. It was actually unnerving. They couldn't have found me, right? I disappeared too well for them to have found me and write a _letter._

I relaxed a bit when I couldn't recognize the handwriting. That meant it wasn't from my parents or their like. _Hidari Mayu_ was transcribed beautifully on the front. I swiftly ran the blade along the paper.

Unfolding the parchment, two smaller pieces of paper fell out. I picked them up off the floor and was very surprised to find what they were- two tickets to the opera house I had just escaped from.

Quickly, I read the letter that came with them:

 _Dear Ms. Hidari,_

 _It's been a while since you left home. This is Galaco. Don't worry, I won't tell My Lady your whereabouts. Don't ask how I found you. I know you better than you think. My Lady and Lord recently bought these tickets to the opera in the capital, but threw them away after reading a bad review. I thought about how you always wanted to go, so I've sent them to you and whomever you are staying with. I probably won't write again. Stay safe._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Galaco_

A wide smile appeared on my face. I didn't even know Galaco _could_ write, and she had written me a letter and sent me tickets to an opera. I was elated to hear from the only servant I cared for in my childhood. It certainly sounded like my parents to throw away perfectly good money because of a random article.

"Yuka!"

She moaned, "What? Can't you let me sleep?"

Guess where we're going this Friday?" I asked.

"Mm?"

"The opera, 'Winter's Rose'."

"REALLY?!" she regained her usual fire.

"Yep!"

I traced the name of the opera with my finger. I guessed things were starting to come together. Maybe it was a sign that my luck was turning around.


	2. Debut

The capital city of Hawthorn was beautiful and bustling. Vendors shouted the perfection and necessity of their wares. The homeless groveled and begged in the streets. Posh gentlemen in top hats with expensive walking canes and equally pampered women on their arms strutted through with their heads held high. Buildings lined the cobblestone roads and cast shadows over the citizens. Horses' hooves could be heard steadily around every corner. The street gas lamps gave the entire scene a yellow tint.

Yuka and I walked amidst it all, staying rather close to each other and not wandering to close to the hostile alleys. My outfit was by no means as extravagant as the other women entering the grand opera house. In fact, I wore a tan shirt and black _pants._ I liked to imagine my mother gasping and fainting at such a notion. That was probably why I enjoyed wearing them in public. Yuka wore a cute light purple dress she claimed she inherited from a distant aunt. My black cloak draped around my unique hair, we nervously handed our tickets to the uniformed man in front of the house.

He looked us up and down skeptically and inspected the tickets again. Eventually, he didn't find anything wrong with them and grudgingly let us pass. My mouth fell open when we made it past the warm lobby and into the main hall. It was so much more beautiful when it wasn't 3 AM and abandoned.

Golden chandeliers illuminated the hundreds of seats and gigantic stage. Boxes reserved for the high class floated above us, housing the social elite. The ceiling was somewhat dome-shaped to amplify the music about to be played. Intricate swirls and flowers lined everything. Hints of gold and a deep red glistened from the walls and the extensive décor.

Yuka and I walked towards our seats, which were decent. I held back a smile as we passed the gaping wealthy in our plain outfits. Some people were staring up and pointing. Curious, I did the same and saw the woman of their interest.

Her Majesty, Vanika Meiko Conchita, sat with crossed legs and a distant smile in the box on the other side of the theater. I had a direct view. She wore a breathtaking red dress that complimented her short strawberry brown hair that stopped right before the shoulders. A small servant girl with short yellow hair stood obediently next to her.

"Oh my gosh!" Yuka gasped, "It's the Queen! She's so pretty…"

I vaguely nodded, not taking my eyes off them. I felt a chill run down my spine. Why did I have a bad feeling about that night?

I ripped my eyes away from the pair when the booming music nearly toppled me to the ground. They began the overture. I was sitting on the very end of the row. The orchestra was right next to us.

I recognized the notes straight away. My common excursions to the opera house taught me this opera inside and out. _In fact,_ I mused to myself, _I bet I could play better than this man._

I looked over to where the pianist was smashing the keys haphazardly. It was strange, though. He seemed to be leaning heavily to the left side, like he was falling…

 _Thump._

The pianist tipped over and fell onto the floor. The whole orchestra stopped abruptly. Whispers started in little bursts, people craning their necks to see what the problem was. Well, the problem was that man was obviously drunk.

 _The nerve of drinking before a performance! I can't believe this! My first opera ruined by some-_

A thought occurred to me. A crazy, completely idiotic thought that I acted upon immediately. Why? Because I was tired, stubborn, and reckless.

I stood up and began moving, crouching towards the now vacant piano as men started to haul the drunkard away.

"Mayu, wait, what are you doing?" Yuka whispered.

I waved her off and continued until I hit the piano. Securing my cloak, I slid into the cushioned seat I knew so well. Everyone in the orchestra noticed the shift and watched in awe as I pressed the first key and began to play flawlessly.

Hesitantly, the rest of the orchestra followed. The notes came naturally as my hands flew across the keyboard. My first debut and I was dressed like a man.

That was probably the only reason they let me continue anyways. Females could do limited things and playing music in front of the queen was not widely considered one of them.

I went through the entire opera, start to finish. It was the best night of my life. When I pressed gently down on the last G and the curtain fell, the applause made me feel so alive. Sadly, it was short-lived.

Other musicians were beginning to walk towards me. Instinct demanded me to bolt, and I did so with speed. They made it as far as a "Who are-" before I was already slipping through the innards of backstage, looking for the back door. I knew exactly where it was and crept through unnoticed by the actors and actresses congratulating each other.

Silently apologizing to Yuka for abandoning her, I began to move swiftly through the alleyway, but stopping dead in my tracks as a woman stepped in front of my exit.

"That was some great playing," she complimented, but her silhouette was intimidating.

"Th-thanks," I mumbled and turned around, ready to travel a different path, but that yellow-haired servant girl blocked that direction. _Wait, if that's the servant girl then…_

I looked around again and finally registered Vanika Meiko Conchita's features.

"I have a job offer," she continued.

I gasped when I felt my cloak being torn down from the back. The servant had pulled it down.

"Oh, you're a _girl,_ " The queen said, surprised, "Even better! Your hair is so pretty. Anyway, I had a musician that played for me often in the castle. He was a great pianist. Unfortunately, he went missing recently, and no one knows where he went. How would you like to take his place?"

I was dumb-struck. _Me? Playing piano for a living? In the royal castle? WHAT?!_

"Uh. Uh, um. Y-y-yeah, sure. Yeah," I stuttered. I couldn't believe this was happening. "B-but, could you also hire a friend? She's a violinist, you'll love her. I-if you don't mind, Your Majesty."

She smiled, "Well, I'll have to hear her play first, but sounds good to me," she replied. I really liked this woman. "How about in a week, you can both play at the palace."

"Sure!"

"Very good. Then, Rin we will be taking our leave."


	3. Hidari

My hair had plagued me my entire life.

Its unusual colors made it obvious who I was whenever I snuck out of my abbey for some freedom. Everyone in the small town knew who the Hidari family, the Earl's family, was and who their only daughter with the weird hair was. I would be spotted within an hour and dragged back into the towering black gates that surrounded the estate.

Most would say I was pampered. My family had money, power, and reputation. My parents frequently hosted dinner parties and galas for those who were deemed worthy. I always made a brief appearance at these, mostly so my parents could put me on display. I was regarded as beautiful and the guests did love to hear me play the grand piano.

I would sit down, smile, play some popular song of the times, and sank back into my bedroom where I remained for the rest of the night. This was my routine. I hated it.

I never had permission to exit the house, like I was a porcelain doll waiting in storage until the next public appearance was to be made. The only freedom I had was in my music. Most of the hours in my day were occupied by the piano, reading, and my private tutor. Galaco was the only one I could confide in. She was a maid and my singular friend there.

My parents were always occupied with other things, always going out. I couldn't stand it, but I still loved them, still put up with it until the day I turned eighteen.

I was summoned to my father's office. Since that rarely occurred, I was excited. He remembered my birthday. Beaming, I skipped into his office where the light blonde man sat at his desk sternly.

"You have turned eighteen," he stated.

"Yes," I replied, disconcerted, sensing the emotionless mood.

"That means you are of marrying age," he continued.

"I guess," I answered. Now, I was nervous about the direction he was taking.

"I have picked a suitor. I'm sure you'll like him. He's the son of one of the wealthiest-"

"W-wait!" I cut him off, "I…I don't want to get married to someone I've never met!"

"Nonsense. This was always the plan. It's too late to call off the marriage anyways." Father didn't even blink.

I was furious. How dare he arrange such a thing? Marriage was something meaningful and emotional, not a business deal.

"I refuse," I told him.

"What?"

"I refuse to marry him. Whoever he is, I don't want to," I repeated.

"That is not something you decide," he shot.

Shaking with fury, I stomped out of the office, slammed the door, and sulked in my bedroom. What was I going to do?

I stared gloomily out the window. The fires of the village I barely went into burned in the distance. That was it, I couldn't take it anymore. I hated the house, I hated my life, I hated my parents. There was nothing left for me there.

I snatched a tote bag from my closet and began throwing in necessary items. I creeped out of my room to steal food from the kitchen and my precious sheet music. Leaving a note for Galaco, I crawled onto the ledge of my window and scaled the wall down like I had done many times before. My black cloak over my head, I found myself on a long road east to the only town I could think of, Hawthorn, our capitol. I didn't know what path I just took, but there was no turning back.

"Absolutely not," Yuka stated firmly.

"What? Why not?" I responded.

"Just, no."

"That's not an answer!"

"Too bad, we're not going."

"WHY?!" I yelled.

"Because… she's shady. I don't like her."

"How do you figure?"

"Well…her servant is creepy, there's just a bad aura around her."

"She's the _queen_ of the entire _country._ How can she be shady?" I reasoned, "We finally get a good paying job offer from _Queen Conchita_ and you refuse?"

"We can find a different job."

"Where?! If you're not going, I'm going without you," I said finally.

"You wouldn't."

"I have to. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I can't turn it down. There's nothing to be worried about anyways."

Yuka stared at me darkly, contemplating. After a pause, she answered, "I'll do it."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I cheered and gave Yuka a side hug before sprinting to our front door. "Coming?"

"Where are we going?" she sighed.

"Practice!" I replied. We left still in our opera clothes.

The royal palace was absolutely breathtaking.

As Yuka and I approached the staggering gates, we took in the five story block and seven turrets that reached the heavens. The white stone shone brightly from the setting sun and the hundreds of windows stretched along the mass were brightened and welcoming.

Brightened and welcoming, unlike the giant guard that was interrogating us at the front entrance.

"I. Told. You," I repeated through clenched teeth, "We were invited here by Her Majesty, Queen Conchita."

"And _I_ told _you,_ " replied the brawny armored man before me, "I'm not buying it. There's a ball being held tonight and you're not on the guest list."

"I didn't know there was a party! She told me to come to the castle in a week _a week ago,_ " I shot. "And I'm not on the list because she forgot to ask my name."

The whole while, Yuka stood cowering behind me in fear of the large man. I couldn't blame her.

"Just get out-" he began.

"Hey, why aren't you letting them in?" interrupted the small servant girl, who the Queen called "Rin", who appeared out of nowhere.

We all jumped.

"What are you talking about?" the guard spat at Rin.

" _They_ are the entertainment for the ball tonight. If you would please let them through," she regarded him fearlessly.

"O-okay. I didn't know that," he mumbled and finally opened the gate. I let out my breath and walked side by side with Rin and Yuka.

"I apologize for the inconvenience and for forgetting to ask your name when we last met, Miss…?"

"J-just call me Mayu and this is Yuzuki Yukari. What is this about a party…?" I gestured towards my friend then awaited an answer.

"May I ask your last name?" she pried.

"U-uh. Well, if you must know, my name is Hidari Mayu."

Her eyes gleamed with recognition, but all she did was say "Well, welcome Miss Hidari, Miss Yuzuki.


	4. Duets

Rin led Yuka and me through the immense front doors and foyer which glittered gold and into the ballroom, buzzing with anticipation. Maids, butlers, valets, cooks, and every variation of domestic frantically performed their duties before the grand ball I was just vaguely informed of.

"Attention!" the small maid announced. All the servants halted and eyed us warily. They dropped what they were doing to stand in a line in front of the door to welcome their guests. "This is the entertainment, Ms. Mayu Hi-"

"Hiki," I blurted, "You may call me Mayu."

Rin shot me a skeptical look, but didn't correct me. "…the pianist, and Yuzuki Yukari, the violinist."

The servants bowed. They seemed to be colorful people.

There was a tall dashing man wearing a butler's uniform with long bright purple hair a tint darker than Yuka's. His stature was perfect and one could tell he took his job seriously, but he shot us a suggestive look and smirked. I promptly moved on.

A short green-haired girl wore men's pants and a gold-studded vest, indicating she was a driver, an unusual job for a girl. She stared prosaically, eyes wandering around the room, only landing on us for a moment before moving on.

The next in line was a serene woman almost as tall as the butler with long pink locks that reach past her hips. Wearing a modest maid outfit, she softly smiled at my friend and me. She was the least intimidating so far.

To the right of her was a cheery young woman, not much older than me. Her beautiful cyan hair tied back into pig tails fell to her lower back. She was the most gorgeous woman I had ever seen. I marveled at how she looked so delicate but wore the outfit of a scullery maid, not the easiest occupation in an estate; I would know.

After her was an equally breathtaking man with striking royal blue hair and a kind demeanor about him. His chef's uniform fit him well. An untrained woman could easily be lost in his oceanic eyes. Luckily, I wasn't untrained.

These observations came in a matter of seconds.

Rin began listing their names, "Gakupo." The flirtatious man.

"Gumi." The small stony girl.

"Luka." The peaceful tall woman.

"Miku." The ravishing bluenette.

"Kaito." The attractive chef.

"And you know me, Rin," she finished. Each servant gave a bow or curtsey when introduced.

"Is this everyone?" I asked. It seemed like a small staff.

"There is my brother, but he isn't good with social situations. I'm not sure you will be meeting him tonight," Rin told me with a sigh.

"I see. What is his name, though? In case I do see him."

"Len, but I'm quite sure he will remain out of sight."

"Okay, then. What's this ball you talked about?" I moved on to what was racking my brain for a while.

"Oh, you weren't informed?" Rin asked with a face that said she knew the answer already.

"No, we weren't."

"It's no big deal. Just another one of Her Majesty's parties she decided on a whim. She does this a lot," Rin waved it off like it was no big deal, "And you with Ms. Yuzuki will be playing. I'm sure that won't be a problem?"

I looked over to Yuka who was visibly trembling. I hesitated.

"You know," the lady's maid prodded, "I'm sure Her Majesty would be very upset if the entertainment quit an hour before her party. It would be shameful to have no music."

 _Why do I feel manipulated?_ "I-it won't be a problem, but I have two conditions," I finally answered.

Her eyebrows rose. "And what might they be?"

"Don't announce my last name and I can wear my cloak. Yuka, do have any requests?"

She quickly shook her head, clutching her violin case. I felt sorry for dragging her into a performance in front of, not just the queen, but an arsenal of wealthy aristocrats.

"I will have to consult Her Majesty on that."

"That's fine. I guess we'll get prepared then."

"Do you have sheet music?"

"Well, no, but we don't them. Don't worry."

Rin flashed the first sincere smile I had seen and waved the servants off to continue their work. Yuka and I headed for the grand piano in the back of the giant ballroom. We discussed what we were going to do since there was no turning back now.

Brief clapping aroused me out of my world of beats and rests. Yuka and I had just finished a popular waltz that took the air out of me. We had been doing this for at least two hours. Song, clapping for a few seconds, next song, clapping, next song, so on and so forth. It was exhausting, but I had to admit that we played off each other beautifully. Even though I probably looked creepy in my black cloak and black dress with red bows along the hem, the guests seemed to be enjoying themselves. I felt more comfortable when we played as a team.

I stood up and whispered to Yuka, "What should we play next? I think maybe a rhapsody-"

"How about you take a break? You're looking a bit pale," she interjected.

"I am?" I asked, rubbing my forehead under my black cloak and being surprised to find a cold sweat there. "I suppose I am, but am I allowed to?"

"Is something wrong?" A feminine voice asked from behind me. I turned to see the pink-haired maid, Luka, wearing a simple dress that was distinctly not a maid's outfit.

"Mayu's a bit tired," replied Yuka.

"I'm fine. I'm fine," I assured her, "But, why are you wearing that?"

"Oh, well, Her Majesty is very kind and lets servants take a half hour break during festivities like these. I'm sure you can take a break if one stays."

"See? I'll take this one, Mayu, then I'll take a break when you get back," the violinist proposed.

"Fine, but for one song only. It's not like I can dance anyways," I finished.

Of course, I could have danced since I was thoroughly taught at a young age, but to them I was just a commoner. Plus, I needed a partner, and who would want to dance with some cultist in all black?

However, as soon as I stepped away from the piano and Yuka started her solo, my hand was immediately taken by an older gentlemen, and I was ushered onto the dance floor.

I kept my head down, shielding my golden eyes. It became difficult to keep my hood on. My footwork came easily but that wasn't what I was worried about.

"You played very beautifully, my dear," the man complimented.

"Thank-"

"I have only heard one other person play as good as you," he cut in.

I remained silent, my instinct begging me to pull away. I attempted to, but my partner's grip was iron.

"Sadly, no one knows where she went. The girl went missing about a year ago. There's a large sum of money to find her, you know. Oh, what was her name?"

I tried to pull away again but to no prevail. We were on the outskirts of the floor. _How much attention would I draw if I kick him in the groin and ran off?_

"Mary? Mizu? No, no. I think it was Mayu, yes that was the name. What a coincidence. That's yours too, isn't it? Oh, your parents will be very happy to hear from you-"

"Excuse me? But, I think I'll steal the lady from you now," came a young male voice.

Two hands forcefully tore his grip off me, and a short boy my age with gold hair and shimmering eyes that matched stepped in.


	5. The Footman

I was ushered back into the dance floor with yet another partner. I wasn't expecting any, but there I was with two. However, I doubted the first one offered because of my mysterious charm. I couldn't grasp what could possibly bring the second to my rescue.

My calculating gaze swept over the short male looking to be my age. He wore a mediocre suit and seemed very out of place. His moment of heroism appeared to be an outburst he regretted. His footing was atrocious, and he wouldn't look at my face. Granted, it was mostly covered by the cloak so I must have seemed intimidating. All the more reason to question his motives.

His ability to dance (or lack thereof) and attire suggested he was a servant. The only one I hadn't met was…

"You must be Len," I finally broke the awkward silence.

He gave an alarmed expression. "Y-yeah. How do you know that?"

"You look like your sister," I replied, and he did. The color of their hair and eyes, plus their stature, were the same. The relation was evident on the outside, but their manners were disparate.

"O-oh," he mumbled.

 _God, this is awkward. Why is this song so long?_ I glanced at Yuka in the corner. She briefly tore her eyes away from her instrument and gave me devious smile. _Why do I feel set up?_

I sighed. "Thank you for earlier. I'm not sure why you stepped in, but thanks."

"Well, that guy looked like he was harassing you, so…" Len drifted off. Rin wasn't joking when she said he was not sociable. "W-what's your name?" he added.

"Mayu Hida…Hiki. Mayu Hiki. Pianist, as you probably saw-"

My sentence was cut off by the sound of my own gasp as I felt the cover of my hood pulled back, revealing my uncommon hair. I whirled around and saw that old man smiling slyly like he won the lottery. He pulled me away from Len and dragged me a few steps away from the stage. Len stood shell-shocked for a second, but followed.

"I knew you were Mayu Hidari. It's too late now, _my lady_."

I cringed at his sarcastic emphasis. _This is it. It's over; I'm finished._

With my free hand, I hastily fastened my cloak back on and tried to force myself away. Len was about to step in again when a thundering voice seemed to stop time.

"Are you harassing _my_ entertainment and guest?" the authoritative voice of Queen Conchita boomed.

The violin in the background halted abruptly. The queen motioned for her to continue and did the same to the large crowd.

Queen Conchita stomped over to our awkward position and gently pulled my arm out of the man's now limp grasp. I didn't know how to react to this. It scared me slightly when I looked into the red-haired queen's eyes and registered a darkness that sent chills down my spine, though it was not directed towards me.

"Answer my question," she spat.

"Do you know who she is?" the man answered quietly, "She's the-"

"She's my entertainment and guest," Queen Conchita cut him off.

He scowled, "But-"

"I don't care about anything else. I would prefer you not telling anyone else of you encounter with Ms. Hiki. Now, please leave the premises, or will you need an escort?"

The man tensed, shot me one last spiteful glare, and barged out.

"Th-thank you very much, Your Majesty," I conveyed to my second savior.

"Oh, it's nothing; it's nothing. What's the fun of having the power to jail people and not threaten every once and awhile? It would be a waste. It seems like the song has ended. I would greatly enjoy hearing another ballad from you." She gestured toward my small friend who was sending questioning looks.

"Of course, Your Majesty," I accepted.

"Oh yeah, and call me Meiko, why don't you? I have been trying to promote that."

"Sure, M-meiko," I stuttered, still thunderstruck by her kind nature. I didn't know we had such an affectionate queen.

She stalked back off to her party. Len was still standing stiffly off to the side, head facing the ground. His face was a bit red.

"Thank you too," I told Len as I began to walk away.

He looked up and fumbled, "Y-your welcome."

I smiled, though I doubted he could see it under my re-affirmed veil. Cracking my knuckles, I sat down at the piano.

"What happened? Were you discovered?" Yuka whispered.

"Almost, but it's fine now. I don't think anyone else saw me except Len," I assured.

"Len? Is that the cute guy you were dancing with?" she questioned, that smirk back on her face.

My face suddenly felt hot as I positioned my hands and feet against the instrument. "Let's just play another song, okay?"

"Aw, you're no fun."

I took a deep breath and played.

The night dragged on for hours more until every last guest left tired or drunken. It was 2 AM when the hall was void of party-goers. Only Yuka, Luka, Rin, Gakupo, and I remained. The servants cleaning up, and my best friend and I about to depart. I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open. The prospect of walking a mile to get home seemed agonizing.

"Well, that was a great performance from you two, tonight. I'm sure Her Majesty will request you again soon," Rin complimented as we looked eager to leave and sleep.

"Thanks. By the way, I met your brother earlier tonight," I commented.

"Really? I'm surprised. Actually, I'm _very_ surprised. And...and you actually…spoke with him?" she looked at me disbelievingly like the prodigal son has returned or something.

"Yeah…"

"She also danced with him~" added Yuka.

Rin nearly sputtered. " _Really?_ And he didn't burn down the building?"

"I believe not," I responded awkwardly.

"Interesting. Now I think we'll be calling on you very soon, indeed. Have a safe trip home!"

I left a bit disconcerted with multiple things that occurred that night. Yuka seemed unfazed, however, as she bombarded me with question about this mysterious footman.


	6. At the Queen's Table

A letter arrived one week later, requesting a private performance from the increasingly celebrated musical duo that appeared out of nowhere at the queen's ball. Yuka half-heartedly protested, insisting that she still doesn't trust our benevolent ruler, but she caved easily.

So, there we were, outside the grandiose palace again. I wore my hood and brought sheet music for this recital, having exhausted all of my confident songs last time. The same guard from before was stationed at the gates. This time, he let us through right away as I smirked at his respectful bow. I never quite forgave him for his discourtesy from our first encounter.

Rin greeted us with a smile and led us through the labyrinth into the dining room in the east wing of the first floor. My eyes tried to absorb every magnificent furnishing of the building. The intricate chandeliers cast a gold glow against the space. Meiko already sat at the head of the table, staring longingly at what overlay it.

I never saw so much food in one place at one time in my life.

There was…everything! Meats, vegetables, fruits, I-don't-even-know-whats, on platters, plates, dishes, anything you could think of, and this was all for three people.

I glances at Yuka. It seemed she forgot her paranoia of the queen completely, having dropped to her knees, awestruck. Meiko laughed at her reaction, but tapped her foot impatiently. I took the hint that she wanted to devour into this feast and tried to heave Yuka to her feet.

"Come on, Yuka," I chided. She stared off into nothingness, completely at a loss for words. For someone so small, she sure did like her food. I doubted she ever saw a dinner this glorious, neither had I.

Yuka snapped out of her trance, recovered a polite smile, and walked steadily to a seat on one side of the head of the table; though, never took her eyes off the bowl the size of a small dog filled to the brim with mashed potatoes. I took the seat opposite her. Rin bowed and exited.

"Welcome!" Meiko exclaimed and extended her hand.

I shook it hesitantly, not used to being greeted by the host already at the table. "Thank you so much, Your Maje-I mean-Meiko, for your invitation."

"It was for more my pleasure than yours, I assure you."

"No, I think this will be very pleasurable on our end too," Yuka added dreamily, clutching her fork.

Meiko laughed again. I smiled, but it faded upon noticing that same darkness I had noticed the other week glinting in her eyes.

"Then, how about we get to it and dig in? Then you can perform and maybe take a tour of the palace?"

"That would be great," I replied and placed my napkin on my lap, not really sure where to start.

Yuka jumped for the elusive mashed potatoes and Meiko not elegantly reached for the whole ham. I reached for the pot roast and began putting some (a lot) on my plate.

Len came in a minute later holding a pitcher of wine. I immediately stopped eating and sat up straight. His eyes widened when they reached me, and hustled to pour wine in the ladies' glasses.

"Thanks," choked Yuka, food stuffed in her mouth like a piñata. I ignored her discourtesy, being used to it by now. Len bowed his head in acknowledgement.

Meiko solemnly nodded her head in thanks, her mouth also occupied. He bowed again. I gave a quiet "Thank you" and smiled. He quickly bowed and practically sprinted to the doors. His sociopathy was somewhat annoying, but a little cute.

I shook my head of such thoughts and continued eating, the queen not even trying to make small talk.

 _Dang._

I couldn't believe it. I could not believe what food was on the table before me.

Nothing. _Nothing_ was left. Not a grape. Yuka had become full long before and I before her, but Meiko kept on going…and going…and going until I wondered how much she had to work out to maintain that gorgeous form.

 _We all have our flaws, if you can even call this a flaw._

"Okay!" Meiko clapped her hands together twice and stood up like she didn't just gorge three cows and two orchards. "Why don't we go to the parlor where another piano is? I assume you brought your violin."

"Of course," Yuka answered, looking up to Meiko with a respect only someone who loves food as much as she could surmise.

The whole time we played, Meiko lied on the couch and closed her eyes, digesting the music and her supper. An hour flew by swiftly and Her Highness bolted up and proclaimed that that was enough and we may take our tour; she had work to do.

After ringing the bell to alert the servants, Rin popped out from the threshold of the door and was informed of our tour.

A sly smirk formed on her lips when the queen left the room and Rin responded, "Okay, the two of you will take your tours separately. I can show Ms. Yukari around and I'll send another servant for you, Ms. Hidari, is that all right?"

"Sure? But, I don't see why we can't-"

"Splendid, Ms. Yukari will meet you at the front doors in an hour, bye!" the lady's maid cut off, and exited, pulling Yuka with her.

"Bye, Mayu-chan!" Yuka called and gave a too innocent smile.

Not precisely sure what happened, I sighed and gathered our sheet music that was strewn about. The people here were so strange. I hadn't even properly met most of the servants, but I could tell that they were oddballs like the two I encountered already-

My thoughts were interrupted by the large door opening. A different head of gold hair looked through. He didn't seem to expect me there and nearly shouted in surprise.

 _Damn you Yuka and Rin._


	7. Not Natural

Len seemed to find his shoes rather interesting, because he was transfixed on them for a good ten minutes.

We walked through the wide echoing hall, feeling the creeping awkwardness that always found us. Part of me was getting ticked off. It was a bit rude to say little to nothing to someone promised a tour. Another part burned with curiosity at this strange boy who looked vaguely familiar, not just of his resemblance to his sister, but from somewhere out of my mind's reach. Maybe it was just my imagination.

The royal palace was huge. Beautiful paintings with frames wide as books lined the gold paisley wallpaper that stretched across most of the first floor. The second floor could be glimpsed through balconies that overlooked the first floor hallways. The ceiling was also painted with clouds and cherub angels high above us. The aisles themselves were empty, only our even footsteps against the marble floors voicing over the quiet.

I would have liked to go into actual _rooms_ , but when asked, Len just told me that they were off-limits. After a while, I gave up.

"So…" I attempted talking, communication, _something_ to occupy the eerie silence, "Meiko seems like a good-natured person. Is she a good boss?"

Len fumbled for words, "I-I suppose so. Most s-servants say she is."

"Most?"

"Well, there is Kaito, but I think he's sort of paranoid." He mumbled the last word, afraid the tall man might be lurking close by.

"And you don't have a strong opinion?"

"My sister trusts her, so I do."

"I see. Your sister looked kind, though strong-willed." I marveled at how we were actually having a casual conversation.

"Yeah, that's one word for it," Len added then smiled softly.

"Oh my goodness." I skit to a stop.

"W-what?" Len asked, alarmed.

"That is the first time I have seen you smile; I was starting to get worried that you were having a severe depression."

He laughed. Why did I feel so accomplished? I laughed to. For some reason, seeing that sociopath happy brightened my mood.

"You know, you should smile more often. Suits you better," I commented.

"I'll keep that in mind." He frowned again, but it was more subdued and relaxed.

"You say that but-"

I halted abruptly as I was about to run into a figure at an intersection of the hall. I tripped over my footing, but was about to regain my balance. In a flash of purple, an arm wrapped around my back.

My eyes met those of the butler- what was his name- Gakupo!

I looked away from the purple irises and gently pulled away. He was too close for comfort. I didn't even need to be caught. Maybe he just thought I was going to fall or maybe he was a player.

"I'm sorry, miss. I didn't know you were approaching are you hurt?" he said suavely.

He was the latter. His tone, posture and mannerisms reminded me of those I faced with suitors back at my estate. I immediately disliked the purple butler. Len stood still near me with clenched hands and teeth, a strange anger I couldn't recognize emanating from him. The unknown emotion bothered me.

"No, and its fine," I replied shortly, positioning myself to move on.

"Are you sure? If there is anything you need from me-"

"There isn't," I cut off and walked past him, the most dumbfounded expression on his face.

Len caught up to me with a satisfied grin. "Gakupo rejected?" he mumbled.

"Tell him I say sorry for hurting his ego," I spoke.

"I think that will infuriate him more."

"That's the point."

This footman was warming up to me. Though, I didn't think I could tell Yuka that; she would start planning the wedding.

The long hallway ending with a large window. To the right, there was a door not nearly as extravagant as its predecessors. It was a simple slanted wooden slab with a worn-out lock.

"What's in there?" I asked my guide, hoping that the answer wouldn't be 'off-limits'

"That's the kitchen. Miku and Kaito should still be in there…"

"Well, this tour so far has been a hallway and a highly-trained flirt. Do you think we can go in?" I suggested.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Len replied hesitantly.

"Okay!"

It seemed I would be taking the lead, so I opened the ominous door, causing a horrendous _screech_ that shook my bones. Stepping into the space, the air grew warmer and the ceiling lower.

Metal clamored against metal as two figures busily shoved pots and pans into cupboards and drawers. Len made our presence known by coughing.

The blue-haired chef and beautiful scullery maid turned. Both gave striking smiles and stopped what they were doing.

"Hello! You're the pianist, right?" asked Miku, adjusting her apron.

"Yes, that's me. We were taking a tour around the palace and just wanted to see some place other than endless hallways."

"Sorry about that. Her Majesty is more secretive than one would think," spoke Kaito, dampening his smile.

"I see."

An awkward silence occupied the room until Len blurted, "So, Kaito an Miku are together."

Miku's face grew pink, and she smiled sheepishly. "Yeah…"

Kaito put an arm around her for emphasis. I smiled at them. "You look well together," I commented, which was the truth. They seemed to fit together like a puzzle.

"Th-thank you," Miku stammered.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. "Oh, it's almost time to meet up with Yuka. I just have one question for you two."

"Oh?"

"How the hell do you cook that much food?"

They laughed. "Uh, well, it's really hard work."

"Yes, it is. The queen is a very demanding person," Kaito said darkly.

"I'm sensing a small rant. I'm going to dump the dish water," Miku excused herself.

As soon as she left, Kaito sighed. "The queen seem like a good person to you?" He kept fiddling with a ring on his fourth finger, a simple silver band with a small gem the shade of his hair.

"I'm not sure," I replied.

"I don't recommend you upset her. There isn't something natural," he paused, lowering his voice, "As soon as I ask Miku to marry me, we'll be leaving this place."

"I hope you live happily then," I responded. "I really must be going."

"Goodbye."

Len escorted me to the front entrance where Yuka and Rin waited. We didn't say much on the way back, but it wasn't awkward like before.

"How was it~!" chimed Yuka.

"Interesting," I answered.

"I see." Rin looked between the both of us mischievously "Please, come again."

"I think we will."

But, Kaito's words were burned into my skull. Yuka and Kaito, even Len felt suspicion about Meiko. I decided I would talk to Kaito again for specifics the next time I saw him. Hopefully, I could see Len again soon.

However, the next morning, a gruesome sight was to be seen in Her Majesty's castle. At the back door that led to the kitchen from outside, a large pool of blood tainted the ground. In the center was a discordant hand, a simple ring with one small blue stone on its fourth finger.


	8. Two Days Later

News spread through Dahlia like wildfire. Though, no one cared enough to put it out. Murmurs of "What a shame" or "Never heard of him" or "When's she hiring a new chef?" was heard at every street corner. No one seemed to wonder who murdered Kaito, the kind young cook I had met two days before.

I thought that it would be nice to visit the castle again soon after my previous time there. I never expected it would be two days later at a funeral. There was no body. All that was left was a stray hand that they cremated and a blue ring which then adorned Miku's slender finger.

It was a small funeral. Only Meiko, the servants, a handful of previous acquaintances, Yuka, and I stood in front of a small table with an urn and flowers that cloudy Sunday morning. Yuka and I stood apart from those who knew him best. Looking at the grief-stricken Miku, whose stream of tears never relented, and the others glued in place, we didn't have the right to cry. We didn't know him. Yuka never exchanged words with him, and I only had one conversation. However, it still stung my heart.

We were outside on the palace grounds. It appeared that Kaito had no living family, so he would be buried there. The cold clammy air sunk into our bones, but no one dared move from the morbid silence on the estate. Everyone wore black dress attire, Meiko still managing to be extravagant with a short black veil.

The other female staff were crying too. Len and Gakupo stood with the deepest mournful frowns on their faces. I wanted to comfort Len, but it wasn't my place. Meiko stared at the urn with what I assumed was lament, but darkness was there too. I couldn't identify why I had this feeling.

Eventually, Miku let out a sob and stomped away towards the castle. After a brief moment, we accepted it was our queue to leave as well. Yuka and I lagged behind the others, not saying a word.

As the others approached the front door, we took it as our turn to leave along with the other barely-acquaintances that showed up. But, before we reached the gates, a voice halted us.

"Wait, Mayu!" Meiko called from the threshold of the front doors.

We stopped.

"Can you come in for a while? I think I need a song to stimulate me right now."

"Can I meet you at back at our place?" I asked Yuka.

She seemed hesitant, but reluctantly agreed and stalked off into the city. I walked to the grand entrance and entered back into the palace.

"Thank you, again, for coming to the service," the queen spoke. "I know you didn't know him well, but the more people that acknowledges his life the better."

"We wouldn't have missed it," I replied.

We entered the parlor I played in two days before, and I sat down at the keys. Meiko laid down and closed her eyes again. I didn't know what kind of song was appropriate for something like this. Something happy would seem like mocking, so I decided on the opposite.

It took me a second to wrench the notes out of my memory, but soon I began playing a very slow depressing song. I found myself tearing up from the whole terrible incident I found myself in. I looked over to Meiko briefly, but she didn't shed a tear. People deal with grief in different ways, I decided.

I left the final note hanging in the air for a long time, but the mellow atmosphere was dispersed when the doors to the parlor burst open with unnecessary strength. Two men barged into the room, fell to one knee in a bow, and came back up again.

The man on the left was an older gentlemen with a brown bushy mustache and crinkled face that was worn with experience. He wore a dark gray trench coat, a bowler hat of the same color perched on his head. He stood perfectly erect with crisp professionalism.

The other man was quite different. The rookie must have been fresh out of training with his haphazardly put on beige trench coat and tie. Though he looked like he wasn't even my age. Blonde hair that reminded me of Len's reached his shoulders and fell over his left eye. His nervous tick was his foot kept tapping the hard tiles. Probably his first murder case.

"If Your Majesty permits, we are here to ask a few questions regarding the death of your previous chef," the older man said.

"Chief Chusetsu, what a pleasure," replied Meiko, slowly getting up from the couch.

"The matters we shall discuss are anything but pleasurable, I assure you," the police chief answered, "I would like to question all of the servants. Was anyone else here that Friday night?"

"Yes, I had two guests over. One of whom is here presently," she motioned towards me still sitting on the piano seat, "This is Mayu Hiki, my private pianist."

Both gentlemen seemed to have only just noticed my presence. "I see. Miss Hiki, would you mind my partner, Oliver, here, ask you a few questions?"

"No, I don't mind," I replied. _Anything to bring this matter to a close._

I walked out of the parlor with Oliver and into the next room over, which appeared to be a library that Len had told me was off-limits. I didn't see what the big deal about the room was. Shrugging it off as one of the queen's antics, we situated ourselves across from each other at a small wooden table.

"So," he brought a notebook out of his pocket, "At what times were you on the castle grounds two nights ago?"

I told him in as much detail as I could the events that seemed at the time…uneventful. He seemed to take special interest in Miku. I informed him that if she was a suspect, that was ridiculous. I couldn't imagine a less likely situation.

Except for the queen offing him herself. That would be the day.

Oliver finally released me from questioning. I prepared myself to drift through the halls and leave. I spent way too much time in this funeral home for my liking.

Though the temptation was too irresistible when I overheard a few words coming from the parlor doors. I leaned my ear against it and tried to concentrate on the voices.

"And the girlfriend found the remains?" the voice of Chief Chusetsu asked.

"Miku, yes," Meiko answered.

"Are you aware of any tension between your staff? Was there anyone Kaito was afraid of or angry with?"

"No, he was a very friendly man. I don't think he showed animosity to anyone." _Except you._

"Hm. I think this further proves the point of this not being a crime of passion. Maybe he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It could have been anyone."

"Do you have any other evidence? I would just like to know if this investigation has more leads."

"Well, I believe the blood was put there on purpose to make it easier to find. The hand wasn't cut with a knife; it seemed to be…" he trailed off.

"Please, tell me, Chief. I would like to know what happened to my employee."

"Forgive the gore, but the wrist was bitten into with human teeth. He was cannibalized."

I moved away from the door and rushed to get out of there, images flashing through my mind. Awful, absolutely disgusting. They have to find whoever did this eventually. It will be all over soon.


	9. A Minor, K 310

I banged my head against the cast iron of the darkened piano over and over again. This _one measure._ Why could I never get it right? Oh yeah, because it was about thirty notes in ten seconds. How does one possibly go that fast? It's not physically _possible._ I scanned in distaste the eight minute long song. _Why?!_

I banged my head a few more times for good measure and began the page again. It was so dark back in the abandoned opera house that it took all my brainpower to not fumble the intricately placed notes. I got to the measure where the infinite chord began. Having to look at the sheet music instead of my hands, I still had complete confidence that I remembered where to put them. _Okay, I got this._

My fingers slid and I cringed. _NOOOOO._

I, evidently, didn't get this.

"YOU ARE A CRUEL MAN!" I shouted at the dead composer.

"Who's a cruel man?" a petite voice asked from behind me.

I jumped and fell off the seat, about to take off running, but recognized the voice of my pigtailed best friend. Sure enough, I looked up at her smirking face in the candlelight.

"Yuka! Why would you do such a thing?! I thought you were that obese policeman again." I scolded.

"It's not my fault and I'm still wondering who is a cruel man."

"The composer with his stupid A minor, K 310 and what do you mean it's not your fault?"

"Sorry, Mayu, but I suppose it's my fault," another high voice came from the darkness.

The figure of Rin emerged into the dim light. She looked utterly tired, but smiled nonetheless at my annoyed expression. I hadn't seen her for two weeks since the funeral. What time was it? I recalled leaving at around seven o'clock. I must have been there for at least three hours.

"May I ask why?" I questioned, finally sliding back onto the piano seat.

"Her Majesty's orders," the lady's maid replied simply. I looked at Yuka who was deeply frowning. She must have not been happy about this night excursion.

"Of course."

"Well, gather your things. We're going to the palace," Rin commanded.

I sighed. "Okay, okay."

As I was gathering my sheet music, some of which were strewn on the ground, Rin commented, "I must say, it was interesting to hear you not play a perfect piece."

"Practice is practice."

"Was that Mozart?" another different voice asked.

I froze and slowly turned to see Len appear beside Rin.

"Oh! Did I mention I brought Len?" Rin spoke in mock innocence.

I clenched my teeth. "Is all of you people's goal to give me a heart attack?! Is the whole town in here or something?"

"No this is it. Aren't you happy to see Len~?" Both Rin and Yuka smiled deviously.

Two weeks of mourning and I guessed we were back to this.

Glancing at Len who looked away with (what I assumed because the lighting was awful) a blushing face.

"I guess," was the safest answer. "And yes, it is Mozart."

I quickly finished gathering my papers and set off silently with my three visitors.

Whatever Meiko wanted now was beyond me. It irked me to have been ripped away from my practice. What could be so important that it couldn't wait until morning? She _was_ the queen, however, so I supposed she did what she wanted.

I could only assume the two servants went to Yuka and my tenement first. How they knew where we lived, I didn't know. Then, Yuka brought them to the opera house.

Speed-walking down the shadowed streets of Dahlia was nightmarish. The roads were deserted except for the occasional eerie silhouetted stranger. We walked close to each other, being not the strongest bunch when it came to self-defense, no insult to Len.

The castle finally came into view after a while of silence that couldn't be called 'comfortable'. Past the gates and into the enormous building through the backdoor, we went. All was silent going through the kitchen and halls. I noticed somebody replaced the old rickety kitchen door with a steel one with heavy locks. It looked like it belonged in a prison.

Meiko awaited us in the dining room with a glass of red wine the color of blood hanging in her right hand. Her legs were crossed sloppily on the table, and it was the first time I felt a bit fearful of the woman. She wore a wide smirk from ear to ear that sent shivers down my spine. I suddenly remembered what Kaito's last statements were to me a few weeks previous.

"I'm so happy you came," she said and motioned for us to sit. "Rin, Len, you are dismissed."

Rin bowed and exited immediately, but Len hesitated, grabbed my arm, and whispered, "Accept whatever she offers."

With pleading eyes he left the room, being careful to close the door quietly. Everything kept getting more disturbing. We took our seats hastily and waited for Meiko to explain herself.

After a pause, she began, "Ever since our loss of Kaito, I've felt this house being very empty. Everyone is afraid to smile in Miku's presence so they don't offend. I would like some stability. How would you two like a job with more longevity?"

"Longevity?" I spoke.

"What I'm asking is, why don't you stay here at the palace? You seem to get along with the servants very well, and you can use the grand pianos in this place whenever you want instead of sneaking into opera houses."

 _How did she know that?_

"I…don't think that would be a good idea," Yuka responded.

"Really?" Meiko looked into Yuka's eyes. My friend visibly swallowed.

"Y-yeah."

 _Accept whatever she offers._

"Yuka, I think we should accept her offer," I said. My voice that was an octave higher than it usually was betrayed me true feelings.

We had a staring contest, trying to communicate what we mean to each other without saying anything. After a moment, Yuka complied, "Okay, fine. We accept."

"Good!" Meiko cheered. "I'll send people over to gather your things tomorrow. You can spend the night here in the spare servant dorms."

We nodded and headed towards the basement where the help stayed. Every instinct I had told me that I couldn't trust the queen.

But, why? Kaito, Len, Yuka, they all seemed to feel (or felt) the same way.

Walking through the halls, my eyes wandered to windows that weren't boarded up before.


	10. Yes!

The next morning, I found myself in an unfamiliar bed, shaken from my nightmares by the dawn sun. It took me a second behind closed eyes to figure out where I was and what happened the night before.

After recalling our deal with Meiko vividly, I became considerably more awake and got out of my new small bed. The room was simple and standard. The only objects breaking its uniformity was a pile of sheet music on the nightstand and my sleeping best friend on the other bed opposite the nightstand.

A bell rang off from behind the closed door to our room. I registered it must be for the servants' breakfast and promptly kicked Yuka's bed. She yelped as the mattress bounced and groaned heavily.

"What time is it?" she moaned.

I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, "Six AM."

"Ha ha, that's very funny. I could have sworn you had woken me up at six in the morning but that would be crazy."

I kicked her bed again. "We wake when the servants do, now get up!"

"No."

I sighed and pushed her whole body onto the floor. She dragged the blanket along with her and gave another signature groan.

"Fine."

I smirked in victory and, realizing no one had brought our clothes yet, exited the room.

The servant dorms were in the basement. A small set of stairs led to the servant dining area, which then led to the kitchen. I followed this path, running into the valet, Gumi, on the way.

"Oh. Hiki-san. Why are you here?" She questioned prosaically.

I nervously laughed. "Yuka and I are living here now, evidently, on Meiko's request."

She nodded knowingly. "Good luck, then."

We walked to where most of the other servants sat waiting for breakfast silently. The only missing people were Yuka, Len, Miku, and Kaito of course. The other domestics' reactions were more animated than the valet's.

"Mayu-san!" Rin exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm surprised Meiko hasn't told you, but Yuka and I are staying here from now on…"

"Really?! That's great. I can't wait for Len to come up." She said the last sentence darkly. Those present greeted me on all different enthusiasms on the spectrum.

I suddenly became more self-conscience about my appearance and quickly combed my hair with my fingers as Rin directed me to an open seat next to Luka and across from an empty spot.

Heavy footsteps emerged from the stairs as a late-comer apologized and sat next to Rin. Len didn't seem to notice me yet, so I didn't say anything, my heart beating a little faster than before.

Rin coughed to get his attention.

"Yeah?" he asked.

She sighed heavily. "Greet our new household member, idiot."

He blinked a few times, searched the table, and when his eyes landed on me, blushed profusely.

"W-what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I've been asked that a lot recently, and I'm starting to question it myself."

"Huh?"

"Her Majesty's orders, I mean, request. Ms. Yuzuki and Ms. Hiki will be staying." Gumi answered for me.

Len gulped. "So that's what she offered you…"

"Yes. She _offered_ it."

A huge yawn interrupted us. Not to my surprise, Yuka was the source.

"When are they getting our stuff? I need my clothes!" she complained.

"You can sit next to Mayu," Rin responded.

"'Kay."

The violinist plopped down next to me and drowsily looked around the table. Her eyes lingered on Len for a while, making him uncomfortable and causing her to smirk.

"This should be interesting," she said under her breath.

The last member of the staff appeared in the kitchen doorway, hauling a large steaming pot with difficulty. The woman's long cyan locks shook around as Miku tried to find her footing. Gakupo stood up and helped her finally. They served a small stew for our meal.

"Thank you," I told Miku sincerely.

She looked worse for wear, like a phantom with her paler-than-snow skin and baggy eyes. The short span of time she went without her fiancé must have felt like years.

My free time was spent playing the song that had plagued me since the night before. It felt good to get angry and forget about the drama this household offered.

After screwing up for possibly the five-hundredth time, I was beyond exasperation; I was outraged. Clenching my fists together, willing myself to not scream, I released a shaky breath and began the piece once more, telling myself for the umpteenth time that this would be my last try.

My hands glided across the keyboard naturally. The measure came faster than expected and-

"YES!" I leaped from the seat as soon as the song was over. "YES, YES, AND YES! TAKE THAT MOZART!"

My stomach dropped as I turned around and noticed I was not alone. Not only was there another occupant of the room, it was the worst possible person.

"Hehe," I brushed my skirt off, "Hi, Len."

"S-sorry, I was just passing and I wanted to hear you play-"

"No, no, it's fine, it's just…that was really embarrassing."

I was dying. _Why him? Agh, why am I so stupid?_

"No, congratulations on finally getting that piece," Len replied hastily, turning away in his ever-present blushing.

I sighed in relief. He didn't think I was completely weird. "Thank you."

"Can I ask a question?" Len spoke again. He seemed rather talkative for a change.

"Sure."

He hesitated. "When we first met…" _This can't be good._ "That man called you Hidari not Hiki, why was that?"

My jubilant mood died quickly, and I sat back down. _I can't tell him._

"Because that's my name." _And here I am, telling him._

Len looked at the ground, waiting to see if I would elaborate. _I won't continue._

"I ran away from home about a year ago so, I don't want people recognizing me." _And here I am, continuing._

What was this boy doing to me?

"I see. I won't tell anyone then."

I smiled. "Thanks, again."

He still wasn't exiting the room. I waited for him to say anything else.

"D-do you…" he trailed off.

"Hm?"

"Would you like for me to maybe pay for a meal or something in celebration of getting your piece." He spoke quickly and braced for impact.

I went over what he just said in my head. _Did he just…No, he couldn't have asked me out…_

"S-sure!" I squeaked. "Would tomorrow work?"

The footman finally looked into my eyes and smiled. "Yeah."

He opened the door and swiftly exited before I could change my mind. I laughed when I heard a faint, "Yes!" come from behind the wall.


	11. Everything Will Turn Out Fine

I watched my best friend practically bounce off the walls in joy. She had a grin of triumph sewn to her face and eyes that screamed 'I told you so!'

"Calm down!" I commanded from my bed, trying to read a book.

"I will most definitely not calm down! You have a date!" Yuka sang, "Your first date with someone you actually like!"

"It's not a date!" I responded.

"Whatever you say!" the contented girl continued to babble on about how it was about time that scrawny footman asked me to dinner.

It had been a long time since I was so self-conscience of myself. I kept switching between a casual light green dress and the best dress I brought with me from my old estate. Deciding against the latter, I adjusted the casual outfit possibly five-hundred times before Yuka yelled that I was obsessive. My hair was tied into a tight ponytail.

This was more nerve-racking than expected. I still berated myself for telling Len that I ran away from home. Did he think I was some brat from running away from such a posh lifestyle? He probably looked up the Hidari name in the castle's vast library. Nonetheless, he did ask me out. Or maybe he was just being kind?

I moaned in frustration. Why were relationships so complicated? I was being silly, but Rin giving me that all-knowing look all breakfast that morning didn't help matters!

7:00 came by faster than I wanted. A stuttering Len informed me that morning that Meiko finished dinner at that time, so we would go out then. I paced outside the back door, purposefully not stepping in the spot where Kaito's limited remains were found.

After a grueling ten minutes, the door next to me opened and revealed the short footman I was hoping (or maybe it was dreading) to see. It was my first time seeing him in anything but a footman's uniform. Even at the funeral. Instead, he wore beige dress pants and a light blue sweater. The word cute came to mind.

Len smiled sheepishly. "Sorry for being late."

"That's fine!" I said immediately. I noticed how he avoided looking at me. "Thank you for paying for dinner."

We began to walk to the gates.

"Who said I was paying?" Len asked suddenly.

It took me a moment to register what he just said. I gaped at his rudeness. "What?!"

He nervously laughed. "Just kidding!" he assured me, "I'm sorry. Rin told me that if you say that then I should do that. Sorry."

I sighed in relief. "Good. For a second there I thought you were an asshole."

Then, we both laughed, and I spent the rest of the way to the pub listening to stories of Rin's other attempts to make Len more sociable.

I stifled my laughs when we entered into the small pub near the center of town. We sat down in a small booth towards the back and ordered tea. Our conversation hit a snag, and the all too familiar awkward silence hit us like a brick wall.

"Y-you look...nice tonight," Len complimented shyly, again avoiding my eyes. "Not that you don't look nice all the time!" he added, panicking. "I-I mean..."

I laughed and blushed. "Thanks. You look nice in something other than your uniform too."

"Thank you...Something has been bothering me."

"Hm? What is it?" I asked slowly, not liking the length of the list of things I didn't want it to be.

"This probably will sound intrusive."

"Go ahead."

After a moment of last minute hesitation, he whispered, "Why did you run away from home?"

Now, I found myself avoiding his gaze. This boy could pry my mouth open with the snap of his fingers and an adorable blush. Curse him.

"It's not very original..." I began. Len silently urged me on. I sighed and drawled, "Araaanged marriage."

My companion choked on his tea. "R-really?"

I nodded. "The Hidari family is quite well known."

"I hadn't heard of it before. Your family is upper-class?"

"You didn't look them up or anything?" I responded in shock.

"No, you didn't seem to be wanting people to know who they were, so..."

For what seemed to be the hundredth time that night, I said, "Thanks. Well, on my eighteenth birthday, my father told me who my suitor was going to be, and I realized that they never really liked me, just the money that would have come when marrying me off. So, that night, I packed my piano music, some food, money, and clothes, and escaped through my window."

Len listened intently during my story and looked overwhelmingly sad when I finished. "Sorry to hear that."

I sighed, shaking it off. "It's all right now, though. I have Yuka and..." You. "All the servants at the castle. Everything will turn out fine."

"Yes, I think it will."

"So, now that I've sung you my tale. What about you?"

Len told me about his life with his sister and how they had been working for Meiko for years. They never knew their parents and only had each other until the castle. He also talked about Kaito and how I should have known him better. We talked for hours and continued after we had eaten and were on our way back. It was hard to imagine how awkward we were mere weeks ago.

In the blink of an eye, we were back at the back door of the palace. I was beyond tired but was reluctant to give my goodbye.

"This was very fun, thank you," I said.

"N-no problem. I had fun too." Len gave an honest smile.

Something washed over me. A feeling of foreboding. I acted as if this was my last chance. Before I lost my nerve, I stepped closer to the short footman, leaned in, and kissed him briefly on the lips. My face might have exploded from blushing if I didn't get out of there quickly. I opened the door and ran inside, going to my room where I slammed the door shut and fell on my bed.

"How'd the date go~?" Yuka, who I just noticed was in the room, asked.

"Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Until I kissed him."

"YOU WHAT?!"

The next day I woke up early, barely getting any sleep that night. I was terrified but euphoric. I couldn't wait to see Len that morning. I was up way before breakfast would be served, so I went to the parlor piano, where no one sleeping could hear me.

My nerves were still all giddy, and I didn't even notice the lid to the piano being down. I wasn't so blind that I couldn't see the folded piece of paper on the keys, however. Curious, I absent-mindedly opened it up.

A red cursive 3 was written on the bottom half. That same sense of foreboding and danger filled my veins again. All of a sudden, I was mortified. I slowly folded it back up and placed on the seat. What was this?

Still standing, I played a single key.

My shaking finger remained as red liquid seeped through the cracks of the key. I played another key and the same thing happened. It smelled like metal. Blood.

Twitching, I walked to the piano lid and lifted it up.

It spilled blood all over me. The only objects in there was a golden eye and yell silk tie.

"L-Len?"

I screamed. I screamed and screamed and screamed.


	12. Loss, Déjà Vu, and Paranoia

There was a lot of screaming. All I remembered was that I screamed, than someone else came in and they screamed, then many people came into the room and forcefully dragged me out. I wasn't sure if I was still screaming by then. The horrible things that happened to Kaito and now Len played in mind. The horrible images were only interrupted when Rin came into my line of sight. The look on her face must have been akin to mine, but ten times worse. Why did this happen again? This wasn't supposed to happen again. Who did this? Who, who, WHO?

"Who were you with last night?" the short policeman named Oliver questioned.

Here we were, back in the library, and I was being interrogated again. This time, I refused to look at the pestering man. It had only been five hours since I discovered his... his corpse. He could have given me a break.

"Miss? I understand you are in shock, but I need you to tell me who you were with last night."

"Len," I answered quietly. My own voice sounded empty to me.

Oliver raised his eyebrows. "Really? And what were you doing?"

"We were on a...date, I guess."

"Oh? And what time did you get back?"

"Um..." I cleared my head of numbness, "About 11 PM? I went back to my room and I assumed he did too."

"Uh huh," the rookie jot something down on his notebook. "When you separated, was it in hostile nature? Any disagreements or-"

"No!" I rejected, "We were happy."

"Okay, okay. You moved here not too long ago, correct?"

"Yes. Just three days ago."

"And when the young chef was killed, you had just spoken to him the night before, correct? And you had just gotten involved with Her Majesty and her servants?"

"Y-yes." I disliked the tone in his voice.

"I see." Oliver closed his notepad with a snap of his wrist and stood up. "That will be all for now."

"Not going to ask me if Len had any enemies?"

"Did he?"

I thought of Meiko. "None which I can say with certainty."

"Okay. Be careful Ms. ...Hiki, isn't it?"

I gulped. "Hiki, right."  
I left the room with Oliver with heavy feet and a heavy heart. I walked towards my room but stopped and turned down a different hall and into the ballroom. Automatically sitting down at the piano there, I positioned my fingers and began an opera.

It was a lengthy one, but I finished the whole score in a heartbeat. It must have been getting late, and the servants would be eating dinner, but I didn't care. I started another one. My hands faltered as they began to tremble. The music drowned out my sobbing.

"Mayu? Mayu!" A voice called to me through the darkness of the room and my thoughts.

"Huh?" I croaked, voice sore from crying. My hands finally ceased moving across the keyboard.

The tiny form of Yuka looked at me with sad eyes. "Mayu? How long have you been playing? Actually, how are you playing? It's pitch black."

I registered the candle in her hands, then the aching in mine. "What time is it?"

"1 AM."

"Oh. I guess I've been playing for...about twelve hours," I said nonchalantly.

"Twelve?!" She held the candle to my throbbing hands. Her voice became tender like talking to a child, "Come on, Mayu. Let's go to bed now, alright? We can get you food in the morning."

I obeyed, toying with a question that was both inconsiderate but intriguing: _Why do I feel like a widow?_

Three seats were vacant that morning. Nobody questioned where Rin was or where I was all of the day before. Breakfast was silent.

The funeral was scheduled that day, so the house drowsily prepared for it. The atmosphere was thick and tense. Two funerals in less than a month? There was no such thing as coincidence; whoever was doing this was targeting the people of this house, and eating them no less. It was sick, disturbing, and I got Yuka and me into this mess.

Somewhere inside me, I knew who it was, but no, impossible, who would listen?

I restrained myself from my suspicions when the short coffin was lowered into the ground right outside of where he was murdered. His gravestone was besides Kaito's, ground still fresh from being dug up. The clouds darkened the landscape, but didn't rain. It was as if they held in their tears with the rest of us.

It was the first time I laid eyes upon Rin since the previous day. She looked like she had been to hell and back but didn't cry. Her expression reminded me of Miku's when the unthinkable happened to her. The unthinkable just loved to keep happening around here.

Yuka and I stood closer to the small group of mourners, smaller than the last. It seemed more personal, more heartbreaking, especially to me. I tried my best to be respectful to those who knew him better, but the prolonged silence at the end of the service pierced my heart like nothing I had felt before. My best friend tried to console me the best she could.

When everyone went back inside, we followed. Despite Yuka's protests, I drifted off to the piano in the ballroom again. This time, I played a slow, sad song that sang for what seemed like hours. However, the clock told me it had only been ten minutes when I was interrupted by a small voice calling my name.

"Mayu?"

Fully expecting to see Yuka, I turned around in exasperation but stopped. The girl who shared many of the same features as him stood there instead.

"Y-yes?" I responded.

"Can I speak with you for a moment?"

"When he came to our room that night," Rin began with a small smile after she took me to the servant dining table, and I brought out tea, "he had the biggest grin on his face. I asked him if he scared you off yet. He floated over to his bed and started telling me everything that happened. He was so happy, especially when he got to the end." She still managed the suggestive look I was accustomed to. "He announced full-heartedly that he was going to kiss you next time. I told him that I would pay good money to see him have the courage to do that, but he remained adamant. I didn't realize how long we stayed up, but the bell requesting Len rang in our bedroom at 2 AM. He went up. I fell asleep and…"

Rin's reverie faded, and her reminiscence transformed into regret. I placed my hands on top of hers assuredly.

"He talked about you a lot, you know?" I told her. "He looked up to you, I think."

"I hope so."

We remained there for a few minutes, but something bothered me. "Rin?"

"Hm?" she asked, finally getting out of her depressed daydreaming.

"Is it normal for a footman to be called to the lady of the house's room? Even more so in the middle of the night?"

She thought about this. "No, it isn't. I am usually the one to be called up to get food for Her Majesty or something…"

"Did you tell the police this?"

"…No, it slipped my mind. You don't think-"

I interrupted her, looking around for any listeners, "I don't think anything, yet. I was just wondering."

Rin stared at me, trying to wrap her head around the idea that the leader of our country is actually a psychopath.


	13. Requiem

"It's such a shame isn't it?" Meiko asked between bites of food.

I clutched my fork with white-knuckles, willing down the thoughts of what I would do to this woman if my suspicions proved true. Afraid to open my mouth for who knew what I would blaspheme if I did, I internally thanked Yuka when she responded.

"Yes, it is. We were very fond of him, especially…" she trailed off. We both prayed to be released from this topic of conversation since only four days had passed since the death of Len Kagamine.

Unfortunately Her Majesty didn't get the atmosphere. "He had been in my service for years along with his sister. Bless her heart, she must be torn to pieces." _How can she sound haughty even when talking about this?_

When neither of her guests had a sufficient answer for that, she shrugged her shoulders and continued to devour her dinner.

"If I may," I spoke for the first time that night, "you have quite the appetite, Meiko."

The queen laughed heartily. "At least you're blunt about it, Mayu. It is so awkward when people just nervously send glances my way during meals. Yes, I've always been this way. I have been known to eat any foreign meal presented to me. I don't know where my hunger comes from. Sometimes, I swear, I can even eat the plates!"

I gave a false smile and still didn't touch my food. Even Yuka didn't seem to have an appetite after I related to her my theory on the murderer. After a while of one-sided conversation, Meiko sighed and was finished with her gluttonous meal.

"I'm feel like listening to some music before I let Mayu go. Yuka, you may go back downstairs," she commanded.

Yuka hesitantly obeyed, shaking like leaf as she exited.

"As you probably know, we had to dispose of the piano in the parlor for obvious reasons. We will have to go to the one in the ballroom."

I nodded and followed her elegant figure to our destination. Another chair was already pulled up beside the piano, and it didn't take long for Her Majesty to get comfortable.

"Any song in particular?" I questioned, biting back the malice in my tone.

"Your choice!" she sang.

I began the first one to come to my head and flawlessly played. For whatever reason, it felt like it was my last song. I put in as much expression as possible. When the final notes faded from the ballroom, Meiko opened her eyes that held darkness.

"Mozart's Requiem? That was an interesting choice. Appropriate, maybe? You know, there is a lot of mystery surrounding Mozart's death. Everyone still wonders what actually happened," she said in her usual light tone.

"Appropriate is the right word," was my only response.

The queen smirked. "Well, I think that will be all for today. Give Rin my condolences." Halfway gone, she turned around and shouted, "By the way, you would notice all the doors have been reinforced with the latest locking mechanisms! Rest assured, no one will be getting in this castle!"

 _Or out._

Rin and Yuka were waiting for me in the servant dining room when I returned.

"You're not dead!" Yuka screamed in pure joy.

"Very reassuring," I replied sarcastically, "I thought a heart attack would kill me before Mei-" I stopped myself and glanced around.

"I think she's in her bedroom. I'll be called up any minute now," Rin soothed my nerves.

I let out the breath I was holding. "She told me that she reinforced all the doors-all the exits with fancy lock systems."

"And she boarded up the windows…"

"What is she planning?" Yuka whined. "I mean, we can just leave, right?"

"I don't think you can," a new voice came from behind me.

I reeled around to see Miku appear from the doorway leading to the kitchen. She had the sad, empty eyes I had seen on Rin and myself in the past month.

"We can trust her," I told my two allies.

They nodded in agreement and invited Miku to take a chair. She lethargically obliged.

"What were you saying?" I asked.

"We can't just leave. Kaito," her voice cracked at his name, "h-he tried to resign several times, but Meiko just told him that she was a very powerful woman who got what or whom she wanted. She would find us and do who know what."

"She'll do that anyways," Rin said.

"Eat us," I whispered. Three heads turned toward me.

" _What_ us, Mayu?!" Yuka shouted.

I gulped, remembering that I wasn't supposed to know that. "E-eat us. I heard the police talking a while ago, and they said that the murderer is eating the victims…"

They sank this in. "Oh my God. That's the motive."

"Well, what do we do?" Yuka panicked.

"I honestly don't know." I looked around at the three ladies. Who would be next?

The police visited again the next day. They looked like they had a set agenda in mind.

"Ms. Hiki," Oliver approached me as I was having tea with Yuka and Miku in our dining room, "Would you come with us to the station for questioning?"

Yuka was already standing up to protest, but I interrupted, "Am I being charged?"

"No, but-"

"Then I can legally deny that request. If you want to talk, we can do it in the library."

The rookie searched his head for the truth in my words, and once realizing that I was right, walked with me to the familiar table in the library. Oliver got right down to business.

"We know your name is not Hiki," he said bluntly.

"W-what?" I sputtered.

"The name isn't on any records as of two decades ago. There _is_ however, a missing person by the name of Mayu _Hidari_ whose rare description strangely resembles yours-"

"Fine. I am Mayu Hidari. I turned eighteen, so I had the right to leave home. Please, don't take me back there. I would rather be in this hell hole than that one."

"I don't know. Hiding your identity from a police officer and with three murders floating about, it's pretty suspicious."

"Wait. What do you mean _three_ murders?" I asked frantically.

"The chef, the footman, and the lady's maid found this morning. Didn't Her Majesty tell you?"

"Rin?! N-no, wha…"

"Her Majesty found Rin Kagamine's blood-soaked dress tied around Len Kagamine's grave this morning. There was a long golden lock of hair in one of its pockets."

"No…this cannot be happening again." I stood up and stumbled out of the room, not heeding the officer's protests.

I had to find the other servants and tell them before three murders could become four in the blink of an eye.


	14. Mezzo Piano

My body felt like it was filled with sand. My legs and head were heavy and throbbed relentlessly. Concepts of time were sketchy, and I couldn't tell if I reached Yuka and Miku in five minutes or five hours.

"Mayu! What's wrong? What happened?" Yuka asked immediately.

"Dead…" I whispered.

"What? Who? What is happening?!"

"Rin…I can't believe…"

Then the three other figures in the room entered my vision. All of the servants were there. All of the breathing ones at least.

Luka grasped her skull and squatted to the ground. "Not again. Not again. Not again-"

"That is it," Yuka exclaimed, grabbed my hand, and pulled me out of servant's dining room.

I shook away my stupor and was able to croak, "What are you doing?"

She continued to stomp down the halls. "We are getting out of here, _right now_ , we are telling the police, and we are not going to die."

We passed boarded up windows and locked doors, found the front entrance, and pulled the handles. _Locked._

Yuka cursed under her breath. I stared at her in disbelief. She had never cussed before.

"We're going to have a talk with the queen," Yuka commanded, seething.

"It won't work. She will find us, and we can't leave the servants here."

"We will talk to her civilly. The police are still in the building. I don't think she would risk hurting us."

"She still won't let us go."

"WELL, WE'LL KILL HER THEN," she burst.

"Don't say that, Yuka. You don't mean it. You'll be hanged."

The girl hid her face and mumbled something I couldn't catch. She looked up with a fire in her eyes I had never seen before and said, "Do you really want to let her get away with what she did to Len?"

Emotions shot through me like a bolt of lightning. Melancholy, frustration, volatility. Every fiber of my being desired revenge, but would that really satisfy me? If we killed her, than we would die anyway, which is what she wanted.

"The only way we can win is if we live. We can't do that if we commit regicide," I replied with constraint.

Yuka simmered down, took a deep breath, and took off down the hall to the staircase. I had no choice but to follow.

"I'm still talking to her," she stated as we ascended the staircase.

It was no use to struggle when she got an idea in her head. The only thing left to do was acquiesce. After what felt like miles of stairs, we made it to the top floor and outside Meiko's bedroom where at this time, she was supposed to be getting changed for dinner. However, no lady's maid was available to open the door.

"Oh, Mayu, Yuka! What a wonderful surprise in these grim times. I would love to talk to you in the parlor in a few minutes, but I am in need of a change-"

"Forgive us, Your Majesty, but we are resigning," I said quietly.

"E-excuse me?"

"We would like to leave!" Yuka said much more loudly, "Please unlock the doors to let us out."

Meiko stared at us for a long time. I could tell she was clenching her fists behind her back. The woman forced a laugh and spoke in a soft voice full of warning.

"That's hilarious, you two. The very notion of such a thing! Where would you even go? The personal musicians of royalty is as high up the social ladder you people can reach. It is perfectly safe here more than anywhere else. Poor darling Rin must have went outside against my wishes, and that is when the serial killer struck."

"We think we can handle-"

"I FULLY," interrupted the queen, "recommend you stay here. For your own safety. Understand?"

I suppressed the shudder running down my spine. "Understood, right Yuka?"

Shooting Her Majesty a look brimming with loathing, she nodded, and we swiftly took our exit.

"We are holding this meeting," began Gakupo, "to discuss the events of the past month and what our actions should be from now on."

I looked around the room. All doors locked. We would speak in quiet voices in case anyone should overhear. What was left of everyone sat at the servant dining table in eerie silence. To the right of me was Yuka. To the left, Miku. Luka, Gumi, and the current speaker were present as well. The butler took the reins since he was the last man standing and the highest ranked servant in the house.

"We need to figure out who is doing this and how we can protect ourselves," he went on. His demeanor altered completely since I first met him. "Her Majesty has made arrangements for our safety, but they may not be enough. Does anyone have any ideas?"

"We know who did it!" Yuka announced right away.

The loyal butler looked incredulously at the short girl. "Tell us immediately. Who has killed three of our own?"

She was less hyper to reveal the actual name now that all eyes were on her. The weight of what was about to be said weighed her shoulders down, and finally she whispered, "Meiko."

Everyone continued to stare at her, waiting for a plausible answer instead of whatever the hell that was. Impossible, the looks on their faces said, lunacy. Only after Yuka didn't waver on her answer for two straight minutes did Gakupo's expression change.

"Blasphemy!" he shouted, throwing away the rule of speaking quietly, "How dare you accuse Her Majesty of such heinous crimes? Murder? Mutilation?"

"Cannibalism," I interjected.

"Cannaba…This story keeps getting better and better. _Our_ queen is a cannibal and killed her servants that she considers family! You know, everything was fine until you two showed up. The police keep questioning you, Ms. Hiki. I wonder why that is," ranted Gakupo. I looked him in the eye to retort, but a new voice spoke up.

"It's true."

The table's attention was now on Miku. She spoke with a finality that doesn't make you question her words. "Meiko ate Len, Rin, and Kaito, and she is going to eat all of us if we don't get out of here soon."


	15. Crescendo

Five minutes after Miku's confirmation, the room drastically changed.

Gakupo squatted in the corner, being guarded by Gumi, upon nearly punching Miku in the face for accusing his queen. Luka, Miku, Yuka, and I sat across from each other near the head of the table, serious as death and talking loud enough for Gumi to hear, but not from behind the reinforced doors.

The real meeting was being as progressive as the first part. Everyone could pitch in facts, but when someone would bring up the question, "What do we do?", the table went silent. All the odds were against us, and we were three men down. Four, if you include Gakupo.

"We need the police or the public to catch her in the act," I broke out of a lull in the conversation. It was past dinner time for the servants, but we lost our appetite a long time ago.

"How are we supposed to do that?" Luka asked.

"…I don't know, but we can't just do nothing until she kills us all-"

"Or we kill her," Yuka brought up.

I was ready to shut her up about that for the tenth time that day, but the solution drew closer with every failed plan someone threw out. _It would all be over if we just…_

"If we kill her, who would take the fall? One of us would be hanged," Miku responded.

After another silence, I grew sick of the endless brainstorm getting us nowhere. "You know what? I would take the fall if it gets it over with."

"Mayu…" Yuka objected.

"It's true! We're waiting here like sitting ducks and it ticks me off, and this is only if we get caught. I've disappeared once. I can do it again." I shot everyone a look that dared them to defy this choice again.

When nobody did, I went on, "There are many things we would need to plan. We wouldn't be able to do it for at least another week. However, the intervals between the murders are growing shorter. One of us would probably die by then. And, there is of course…" I nodded towards the butler in the corner.

Luka stood and approached the loyalist slowly. Dismissing Gumi with her eyes, the maid squatted down to his level and spoke in a tone that managed to be gentle and dangerous at the same time.

"Gakupo-san, I know the queen has been kinder to us than anyone else was, but three of us are already dead, and Miku wouldn't lie to us. Who else could it be?"

The dejected man continued to stare off into space. We watched as his gears turned and awaited an answer. After heavy consideration, Gakupo looked at Luka, then the rest of us and gave his nod of consent. That was all we needed.

That night resulted in no dead bodies as we obvious during the morning line-up. Yuka and I were most likely the next targets, since wen practically told her to her face that we knew what she did. I hoped that I would be next instead of Yuka, and I could drag her down with me.

For the first time in ages, I didn't feel like playing piano that day. Even though I got the rest of the staff to believe me and cooperate, the sense of foreboding rested in the pit of my stomach and never faded. The few times I exited the servant's area were taken up by checking behind my back every few seconds and listening for footsteps. At lunch time, we confirmed that nobody had seen Meiko all day.

The uneventful morning took a turn when the police visited the palace once again. They questioned each servant, then Yuka, then finally me. Each servant said that the officer asked about the newcomers.

"Ms. _Hidari,_ " emphasized Oliver in the familiar setting of the library, "I understand that you were grieving yesterday, so I will forgive for barging out, but I warn you to not do that again."

"O-of course. My apologies," I stuttered.

"I have asked all of your housemates who they thought the killer was, and they each claimed that if they told me, I wouldn't believe them. That is very strange, isn't it?"

"Very."

"Now, I am asking you this question. I think you know who they are talking about and would appreciate you being frank with me."

I gave a plastic smile. "I agree with them. My life would be endangered if I tell you. Besides, no cop would believe us anyways."

He frowned. "Who on earth could such a powerful person be?"

"They're closer than you think."

"I'm not going to lie to you. I am telling you right now that I think you are behind these murders. Maybe your friend Ms. Yuzuki as well. Your response?"

I laughed dryly. "Me? Twice in two days I see. No. How powerful can a runaway daughter of a lord be? The culprit is a bit more persuading than me. They are right in front of your face. Because of the position the police are in, we will have to deal with this on our own. If you want to arrest me, get a warrant or wait a week. I have important things to do."

"Wait a week? What do you mean-?"

"You will see. In the mean time I have a favor to ask you."

"Seriously? Why would I owe you any favors?"

"It's not for me. Please put Yuka under police protection. I have a feeling she will be next. Well, her or me, but don't worry about me. Please, Officer Oliver."

"I'm sorry, but we cannot do that without a valid reason, and as it seems you will not give me straight answers today, you may go…for now."

Without holding back a scowl, I left frustrated with no progress.

Meiko was not seen by the servants for the rest of the day.

Everyone slept lightly. That was the reason everyone got up at the loud sound of metal on metal. It clanged together several more times until it stopped.

"Mayu? What was that?" Yuka whispered through the darkness.

I quickly lit a candle and replied, "I have no idea."

We reached the hall just as the others did. No one knew what was happening when we heard the bang again.

Clad in night gowns, flannel, and three candles, we entered the main hallway on the first floor where moon light could not leek through the boarded windows. It was almost pitch black.

The group stopped and gasped as a match was heard scraping and a candle down the hall lit. Through the dim light, I made out the face of Vanika Meiko Conchita. It vanished in an instant and four words echoed through the building.

"Let's play a game."


	16. Forte Forte

"What does that mean?"

"What the hell?"

"We're all dead."

"Impossible…"

"I knew it."

"…"

The group shouted incoherently as panic started to set in. The few candles held by me, Gakupo, and Gumi partially illuminated the darting eyes and terror-stricken faces of the servants, my best friend, and myself.

I took in a deep breath and stopped my senseless blathering and looked to the only calm person in the hall.

"Gumi." I walked over to the short girl. "You seem to have your head together. Help me calm everyone down?"

She nodded eagerly and screamed, "EVERYONE SHUT UP!"

This unexpected volume slapped them to their senses. They obeyed.

Gumi motioned for me to take the floor.

I cleared my throat and aversely began, "We all need to just calm down. Now that Her Majesty has confirmed our suspicions, we have no choice but to fight back. It shouldn't be that hard. It's six against one. Most of us know the castle well. We just have to-"

"Kill her?" Gakupo finished in despair. He looked like he was just kicked in the face repeatedly.

"Y-yes. I don't think capturing her would be wise…"

"WHAT ARE WE EVEN DOING? SHE IS RIGHT OVER THERE!" Luka screeched and pointed towards the end of the hall.

I shook my head at the usually serene woman and sprinted up to the spot where Meiko's face appeared. Just as I expected, she seemed to have evaporated from the spot.

"Gone."

I went back to where the rest of them were rooted in place.

"Well, what now?" Yuka asked.

"We should try the front entrance," Gakupo suggested.

"It's locked," I said immediately.

"We should check anyway!"

"Why? We know it's locked so why bother?" I retorted.

"You never know!"

"Except I _do_ know. Why would she trap us here and leave the front door open?"

"Who made you in charge?"

"Calm down!" Gumi shouted for the second time that day. "No one is in charge. We decide things as a group. I suggest we go back to the kitchens to get some weapons."

"I trust Gumi's survival mode," Luka spoke.

"Okay. That's a good idea, Gumi. Does everyone agree?"

After everyone's consent, we followed Gumi to where we were just minutes previous. Though, it already felt like an eternity. We distributed knives which were accepted with varying degrees enthusiasm.

"I feel uncomfortable with this," Gakupo whined as we all sat down at our kitchen table.

"Gakupo-san, whoever does not have a knife will most likely be targeted first. If you drop it, we appreciate the distraction for when you are busy being eaten, we will be getting out of here," Gumi droned monotonously.

"So rude…" he murmured.

"I have an idea," Miku said.

"Let's hear it."

"Why don't we be in pairs and keep an eye on our partner so we don't forget anyone?"

"Sounds good to me."

The pairings were Luka and Gumi, Miku and Gakupo, and Yuka and me. Everyone stood close to their counterpart for fear of losing them or themselves. There was a period where we talked a bit about the memories of the departed. I kept my mouth closed and absorbed myself in my own thoughts.

The primal need of self-preservation threatened to take over, but I strengthened my willpower. We were in this together. The best outcome would be as many people as possible leaving alongside each other, whether I be in that group or not.

Now there was one thing we could do: wait.

We didn't have to wait long. Just as the uncomfortable silence settled in the room, Miku jumped.

"W-what is it?" Gakupo asked, fidgety.

"I thought I just heard something in the dorm area, but it might have been nerves."

"Is there any secret halls used by the old servants or anything? The kind that allow them to move around the house without disturbing their master or any guests?" I asked, them being my playground when I was small on our estate.

"Just closed off ones, I think. They boarded them up after some sort of accident before our time," Luka clarified.

"Are you sure they are all closed off?"

"M-maybe."

This time, a louder noise came from the direction of the dormitories. We all looked at each other before nodding and rushing out into the main halls of the palace. My breathing soon turned ragged as I ran with all my might, hauling Yuka by the wrist along with me. We were in the front, Gakupo and Miku behind us, Luka and Gumi behind them. I turned into the first room I recognized-the parlor.

I counted the people come in. _One, two, three, four, five…_

"Close the door!" screamed Luka. _Did I miscount?_

With no time to debate with myself, I slammed the door shut and shakily locked it. In a flash, Gakupo, Miku, and Yuka were dragging furniture to block it. I looked at Luka, who was backed against the wall and muttering something.

"Luka? What's the problem?"

I strained to hear her. "All my fault. All my fault…."

"Luka! What is your fault?"

"G-Gumi is g-gone."

My head whipped around the room, searching for the short green-haired driver. Without luck, I turned back to the maid.

"What. Happened?"

"We were r-running, and we were at the back. She wasn't a fast runner. One second she was right behind me and the next…she vanished."

"What's wrong?" Gakupo called from moving the last heavy piece of furniture to the door.

I gulped and replied through gritted teeth, "We lost Gumi."

With this statement, Luka broke into hysterics and Miku regained that faraway look. Gakupo punched a wall. I went over to where Yuka was casting sympathetic looks to them all, not knowing what to do now. Neither did I.

I shut up about calming down after they ignored me the first seven times. Instead, I sat where the piano used to be and where a faint stain of red shadowed what took place not long ago.

"Len…What are we going to do?"


	17. Last Man Standing

The clock struck 2 AM, then 2:30. When the chime finally signaled 3 did anyone utter a word in the black room illuminated only by one remaining candle. We crowded around it in a circle like it was a fire pit. Luka and Gakupo faced the door, pressed up against the single bookshelf in the wall of the room, holding on to their knives for dear life.

"She was like a sister," Luka said.

Shocked out of my inertia, I took the opportunity to pick up the pieces of our dented alliance.

"Gumi or Meiko?" I asked quietly.

"Both. Her Majesty's mother when she was alive took in orphans off the street. All of the servants were taken from different cities and taken here."

 _Len talked a little about this,_ I thought, _though he didn't get into it much._

"And Meiko was around your age?"

"Yes." This time it was Gakupo who answered. "She is my age. Everyone else is one to three years younger. We always played together. Then, when her mother and father died, all the servants left. We wanted to pay the queen back and became her servants. Where did we go wrong?"

"Nowhere. That kind of insanity can only be brought on by oneself. By the time any of you would have noticed, it would be too late to save her."

"But we could have saved Gumi!" Luka cracked, "Or Kaito! Or Rin and Len! Our family is being torn apart."

 _Family._ That word was unimportant to me until I met the servants at this castle a few months ago. Throughout the little time I had known them, they were the closest family I ever had next to Yuka. I wished I got to know them in a different life with a different ending, a life that was happy for everyone, even Meiko. _I doubt they see me as anyone closer than an acquaintance, though._

"We still have five members right here," Miku spoke, "That's enough to fight for, right?"

Luka perked up a bit. "Right!"

"I guess so," Gakupo agreed.

"Yep!" shouted Yuka.

The first genuine smile in a long time befell my lips. "Of course!"

"It's still five against one," Miku added more darkly, "We shouldn't have run away the first time. Maybe we should go outside and face her head on."

The group grew uneasy at that suggestion, though the most plausible, since that would probably mean one of us going down with her.

"The police have been coming every day! Maybe if we wait until they come, they can arrest her," Luka inputted.

"There is no guarantee that that would be any time soon-"

In a flash, the bookshelf behind Luka and Gakupo pushed inward. A hand reached out and, with surprising strength, pulled Luka hair, dragging her in. The shelf shut as quickly as it opened. It left us in pure shock.

"What."

Everyone pounced on the shelf in an instant, pulling away the books. Gakupo took his knife and stabbed at the shelves to try to get them off.

"LUKA!" he screamed, "LUKA, CAN YOU HEAR ME!?"

I looked around for a switch or a lever with no luck. The search was futile; she was gone.

"Luka…" whimpered the butler, "Why her?"

It was easy to tell he was the closest to her. She had been the one to calm him down when we told him about Meiko, and they rarely left each other's side after the death of Gumi. My heart went out to the man I held such animosity towards when first entering the palace.

"Gakupo," I said as soothingly as possible, "We have to go now. It's not safe here."

"No! We have to save Luka!" he sobbed.

"It's too late. Come on, she would want you to live. If you stay, it would be as Gumi put it, you would serve as a distraction."

The man let out a quaking breath and lugged himself up. I wasn't sure if his head was in the game as he assisted removing all the piled-high furniture half-heartedly. After finally freeing the door, it slowly creaked open, no one daring to take the first step.

"Okay, we all go out together, okay?" I spoke.

Upon nods of agreement, we stepped out. I held the only candle that threatened to flicker out any second. Not knowing where we were heading, impulse lead us down the hall where we lost Gumi. The final remnants of our friend was a puddle of blood dragged across the marble floors and under a door. It was locked.

"Now we know," is all I said and left the scene. Everyone eventually followed.

Deciding to head for the second floor, we began ascending the stairs when Miku yelped:

"Where's Gakupo!?"

I turned around as another match was lit, revealing the devil herself, holding a knife against the butler's throat.

Meiko laughed despicably. "Oooo. I didn't know it would be _this_ easy."

"P-please," Miku spoke up, "Don't."

"Ah. Would you like to take his place~?" she asked giddily like a child.

"Go! Miku. Mayu and Yuka too," Gakupo gasped against the metal blade. "Don't let this bitch win."

"Harsh words! Gakupo- _san._ Are you still upset that I killed precious Luka? You loooooooved her didn't you?"

His expression said enough. Meiko walked forward.

"And you, Miku-chan. You loooooooved Kaito, right? And you…" she looked into my eyes, "You looooooooooved Len. Despite the short time you knew him, you looooooooved him, am I correct?"

It took all the willpower in my body not to rip out her eyes right then and there. My hand clenched dangerously to the knife of my own.

"Lighten up, guys! You don't know how to have fun. I want this game to go on a little longer."

She blew out her match. I rushed to hold my candle up to where they once stood. Only Gakupo remained, breathing heavily but still alive. I wondered how long he would stay like that.

The game was just getting started, and we were losing.


	18. Funny Hair

I was in my home again.

The elaborately dressed guests of my parents stood around drinking champagne or water depending on the age. I shifted my feet to keep myself occupied. It wasn't working.

"Mama? Why isn't anyone dancing?" I asked the beautiful woman next to me.

"We are waiting for the most important guest, Mayu. They are very, _very_ distinguished. Be on your best behavior," replied my mother, ringing her hands together and stealing glanced at the doors every few seconds.

"Is that why you're so nervous?"

She forced a smile. "Yes, that is why Mama is so nervous. Where is your father?"

I pointed towards the tall man making small talk with wives of aristocrats near the set piano.

"Stay here," my mother commanded, walking over to wretch the man out of conversation with the women.

The seven-year-old me looked longingly at the piano. The only good part of the night would be when I can finally play it. It didn't matter if hundreds of people or no one was listening, I just loved to translate scratch marks on paper to beautiful music.

The whole ballroom grew quiet instantly like I put on earmuffs. The source of the attention must have been to the people now standing in the door.

Our butler ran up and announced, "May I introduce Her Ma-"

The early applause drowned out the rest. I wondered who would make such a stir. Through the slivers of space between people, I spotted a gorgeous woman with long red hair. She wore a tiara that sparkled in the light and a small smile. The man next to her had black hair and a beard. He greeted boisterously the many that bowed extensively. My attention was gripped, however, to the three smaller arrivals that followed them in.

One stood right alongside the two adults. She had the same shade of pretty red hair as the woman, though hers was worn short. Her dress fit her petite pale form perfectly.

Two sibling stood behind them. They seemed to be the same age, so my guess was they were twins. Both had golden hair and matching eyes. Their clothes were plainer than those who accompanied them. They piqued my interest, so as soon as they were free to roam, I approached them.

"Hi!" I greeted cheerfully.

The two that seemed to be glued to each other turned with the most dumbstruck looks on their faces. They didn't reply, so I assumed I was being too informal with them. Shrouding my eyes to hide my disappointment that they were just normal uppity rich kids, I stood up straighter and put on my fake smile.

"I am sorry for greeting you like that. My name is Mayu Hidari, pleased to meet you," and I curtsied.

They looked at me even more flabbergasted than before. I couldn't win with these people, could I? I sighed and dropped my shoulders.

"So much for normal kids for once…"

I turned away to stomp off, but a small vice stopped me.

"Your hair is funny."

Clenching my fists (though sincerely happy I received a response), I reeled back around at the slanderer. The boy glanced at me nervously. _It was him._

"My hair is not funny!" I huffed.

His sister spoke for him, "He apologizes for being an idiot."

Said idiot stared at her like she betrayed him. I burst out laughing.

"I like you guys!"

The sister smiled confidently and introduced herself. "I'm Rin, and this idiot over here is Len! We've never been to one of these before, so we were nervous."

"That's fine! I've been to hundreds of parties, so I couldn't imagine not knowing what to do. I guess I'll have to teach you!"

"Thanks! That would be great, right _Len?_ "

"R-right!" he squeaked.

Rin whispered in my ear, "He gets nervous around _girls,_ so ignore him if he says anything stupid."

"That's what I normally do anyway."

"Your hair is really cool though."

"Thanks! I like you two's as well. Very shiny."

Rin smiled and Len blushed. I really liked these kids.

While the adults began dancing with each other, I explained to Rin and Len what the dances were called. I also talked about speaking etiquette and flattery and assured them they didn't have to do them with me. Rin did most of the talking, but Len listened intently. They mentioned something about being adopted by a rich family, but they didn't reveal the name.

"Attention everyone!" my mother shouted above the crowd while silencing the violinists. "I would like to introduce my daughter. She is a prodigy at the piano, as you will soon see. Mayu!"

Rin and Len looked at me in surprise.

"You're a-?"

"I wouldn't go that far, but I've played a little."

Before I was forced to depart, I gave quick goodbyes, as this would be the final event of the night.

All eyes were on me as I climbed onto the too high piano seat and placed my fingers. Those who have never seen me play always underestimated me. I would prove them wrong every time.

A genuine smile was left on my face when I finished the third and final song. I tried to find the twins in the crowd but was bombarded with compliments from strangers instead. My smile faded as the last guest left and I never was able to see the strange siblings again for a long time.

"You were very good," commented a violinist with purple hair, "You would be great friends with my daughter. She's a prodigy at the violin."

I was shaken awake by two hands.

"Wha…"

When my eyes finally opened, the face of Yuka in the candlelight whispered, "It's your shift."

I nodded vaguely and got up, stationing myself at the door of the palace nursery with a knife in hand. I would be up for the next three hours. A lot of time to think.

 _So that's how Rin knew the Hidari name._


	19. Blood Lust

Time passed in the castle like time passed in a dream. Even though the wall clock told me that it was two in the afternoon, everything was still blanketed in night. It had been over a day since I saw sunlight.

I managed to get used to the darkness notably quickly. Soon it felt like I had spent a year in the black. We found more candles and matches on the second floor, providing each of us with a light source. Thankful when my shift was up, I shook Miku awake. We exchanged no words while switching places. A different darkness consumed me immediately.

My dreamless sleep was cut off by a cry. I shot up along with Yuka and Gakupo and searched for my weapon.

"They're gone! Miku shouted.

"What's gone?"

" _Who's_ gone?"

"N-no one! Just our knives," Miku answered.

"What do you mean _just_ our knives? Our knives are pretty important!" raged Gakupo.

"I-I'm sorry. I fell asleep."

"You fell a-"

"Calm down!" I stepped in between the butler and scullery cook. "Instead of dwelling on each other's mistakes. What's more important is why on earth would Meiko would come in here while we're all sleeping and just take our weapons."

"Obviously, she's playing with us," Gakupo scoffed, "Now we are defenseless."

"It's still four against one!" Yuka interjected.

"We said that when it was six against one and five against one! Now Luka and Gumi are dead and the rest of us are too! The only thing left to do is give in to despair."

"We can't give up now, Gakupo. This time, we can make a plan."

"Tch."

"We've said it a thousand times. Don't come with us if you want to die. I thought you would have more heart to avenge Luka, but it seems I was wrong," Miku said coldly.

"Don't say that! Don't say that…"

As Miku and Gakupo had a staring competition, I rummaged through the nursery, finding dusty toys (for whatever reason, almost every creature was a bear), children's books, and small clothing. It appeared to have been left untouched since Meiko occupied it. The air felt cool and haunted by memories. It was like a setting in a horror story. It certainly was _my_ horror story. Swiping my hand under a crib, my hand clutched around a thin metal object. It was a fork.

"She didn't conjure away all the weapons!" I exclaimed, thrusting the fork into the air like stabbing with a knife.

"Aye!" Yuka responded, hopping up and displaying her findings in the room: a broken off wooden bar.

Our remaining allies dropped their death glares and silently hunted around the room for anything remotely lethal. Miku found a pair of knitting needles, and Gakupo scored a butter knife.

"We shouldn't wait here any longer. There is obviously a passage leading to this room," I stated.

The group agreed and braced itself for another trip into no-man's-land. This time, with blunter tools but sharper minds.

The hall was as deserted as we left it, no even breathing betraying the presence of someone else in the fortress. We headed back for the stairs and would go up from there. Gakupo guarded the front as I watched the rear. I stopped the mob as a chill ran down my spine. I couldn't _hear_ or _see_ anything unusual, but I somehow _felt_ the stomach-churning evil that froze the blood in your veins.

"What's happening?" asked Yuka.

That's when my candle blew out and a rigid voice whispered in my ear:

"You're next."

I automatically kicked backward, only to find I was assaulting nothingness. But, I knew she was there. It couldn't have been my imagination. I lighted my candle and swerved around. Nothing.

"Mayu, what's wrong?"

"D-did you guys h-hear that?" my teeth chattered.

"No…Hear what?"

I desperately looked at my companions staring at me.

"N-nothing. I just could have sworn I heard someone right behind me whisper 'You're next'. Must be my nerves…"

"Never underestimate Her Majesty," mumbled Gakupo, "Maybe you should be in the middle of the pack now, just in case."

"That would make me feel better."

We kept walking in the new formation: Gakupo in back, Miku in front.

Then there were the footsteps. They came in rushed random intervals, making sure to be unnecessarily loud over our nearly inaudible ones. The echoing halls diminished our chances to figuring out which direction they were coming from. Sometimes we would hear them in front of us, sometimes in back, sometimes far away, sometimes right beside us.

"She's playing with us again," Yuka groaned, "How can she be moving around so fast?"

"She's like an animal."

A laugh replaced the footsteps and made me jump.

"Yes! I'm an animal, a carnivore, a bear. I am a bear and you are my feast before hibernation! AHAHAHAHA-!"

"PSYCHO!" Miku screamed.

The laughs cut abruptly and a candle was lit right in front of us. A grinning Meiko scanned over us like picking out a dish on a menu. Her eyes stopped on me.

"I did say you would be next, my dear. A mama bear always keeps her promises~!"

"No!" Gakupo snapped and stepped in front of me. "I'd be damned if you get your way one more time. The menu's changed."

"Aw, Gakupo. Will you ever let that pink-haired slut go? She tasted way better than she cleaned the house…"

The butler took his butter knife and scraped it against his forearm. Blood dripped down his wrist. The liquid that appeared black immediately mesmerized the queen.

"Go!" he yelled at us.

"W-wait-!" objected Miku.

" _Go!_ "

I took Miku's arm and dragged her along with me. The last I saw of Gakupo was Meiko licking her lips and pouncing on him. We didn't have much time. She probably ended his life quickly and saved the rest for later.

The number of my friends split in half over the past twenty-four hours. No matter the outcome, it would all be over soon.


	20. Taste of It

As it had been approximately twenty-four hours since this night began, I reflected on how my whole life had been a downward slope. Since I had been on the top of the world, I found myself in the darkest depths of hell. Hope flickered dangerously like the candle still attached to my hand.

"We could have killed her," Miku stated, "We could have done it right there. Why did he do that?"

I wondered this myself. Sprinting down the halls of our labyrinth, I said the only reason I could conjure.

"Gakupo probably knew one of us would die if we took her, and considering what happened to Luka… If the love of your life dies, you want to die too."

"I know how that feels, but…" _Me too._

"Next time. Next time we'll get her. Nothing else bad is going to happen," Yuka encouraged us.

I thought of Meiko and what she said about Mozart. There was great conspiracy theories behind his death. _Is that how we will be remembered?_ There would be no justice. There would be no retribution. And, as time would fade, so would our story. What a sad death, what a sad life. One of us needed to live. Them living would be like all of us living. Meiko living would be like all of us dying again.

We picked up the pace as another shrill laugh cut the air. She wasn't that far behind. Soon, she sounded like she was ahead of us. Her stupid shenanigans were really messing with my head. I checked our positioning. Yuka was in the middle, me in the back, and the remainder in the front. That was good. At least Yuka would be safe.

"I'm starting to get tired of her-" my sentence was cut off by two arms wrapping around my waist and pulling me backwards.

Meiko's giggling, hysteric and child-like, was right next to my ear. She sat on my stomach, arm pinning down my right hand, the other pushing my head against the floor. My light source clanged to the ground and extinguished. My left hand fought desperately, punching her stomach and eventually finding her face. I should have known better.

"Mayu-!"

Conchita opened her mouth and slammed her jaw together around my hand. I could hear bone crunching and could feel the dark blood fall onto my face. I was never more horrified in my life. My screams were so loud, I wouldn't doubt that Len heard them in his grave. She deepened her teeth into my skin and pulled.

The good news was, I was already drifting into sleep as she ripped half of my hand off.

My only thought was that I would never be able to play piano again.

Against my body's wishes, I forced my eyes open. My mind was muddled and disorganized, trying to process everything at once.

Meiko, servants, death, Yuka, hand… _hand._

My eyes zeroed in on a lit candle, and I crawled to it, holding my hand up to the flame.

"Oh God…"

What remained of my left hand was wrapped in the cloth of a shirt and trembled. Just by looking at it, I knew it would have to be amputated as only two fingers remained. As the fogginess of my brain cleared, so did the absence of pain. I bit my tongue hard to prevent myself from screaming.

The next thing I noticed was Yuka's soft breathing. I made my way over to her sleeping form and searched for Miku. She wasn't there. _Wait…how am I alive?_

If Meiko jumped me, then I should be dead, like Gumi and Gakupo and Len. I roughly shook Yuka awake with my _right_ hand. She was posed with the wooden plank high in the air in seconds.

"Whoa, whoa." My voice came out grittier than I meant it to. "Where's Miku?"

Yuka calmed down and stared at me with empathetic eyes for the longest time before answering.

"Dead. She attacked Meiko right after…"

I held my used-to-be hand up. I still felt light-headed, and the pain was more than I had ever experienced in my life. Hope of freedom was slipping away faster than I was bleeding to death.

"She shouldn't have done that. I'll be dead anyways if we don't get out soon."

"Well, it's still two against one."

"One and a half against one. Do you know where Meiko is?"

"When I was dragging you away, Miku was going ballistic on her. She said something about never giving up after the taste of blood. I haven't heard anything since arriving here."

I squinted through the dark. Where _were_ we? There were barricaded windows along one wall, staggering wooden door on the other, and backed against the windowed wall, a large bed with four posts connecting to the canopy above.

" _Meiko's_ room" I said.

"Yep. Can you walk? I think we should move location as soon as possible."

"Hey, I still got both feet."

I winced when trying to push off both hands to stand, realizing I was in need of another one. Yuka immediately helped me up, handed me Miku's knitting needles, and snagged the candle off the floor. The clock read six in the morning.

I nearly fell back down as something hard slammed against the door. We froze. It happened again.

"She's here."

I motioned to station on either side of the door. We stood on both ends, fearing the next methodic slam would reveal our queen.

"IT'S NOT NICE TO STEAL SOMEONE'S ROOM!" she yelled from the outside.

"Get ready."

The door broke down, and, in a flash, Meiko was on top of Yuka, strangling her thin neck. I stumbled towards them, vision blurring again, unconsciousness threatening to take hold of me again. I had no time for that.

I raised my hand and swung the needle into her shoulder. Her scream resembled a bear's as she dug the stick out. In an instant, her eyes were glued to the blood dripping down her dress. Mesmerized, she dipped her delicate finger in it and licked it.

She slowly got off Yuka and licked her hand again. Then, much like she did mine, she sank her teeth into it. A small smile painted her face as she continued. Yuka stood up and dragged me out of there. We found ourselves sitting next to the entrance of the palace, beaten, scarred, but alive.

The body that has devoured every food. No one will know the taste of it.

When I woke up, I was told that the police came knocking on the castle doors that day. They told me they had to amputate my hand, and that my family wanted to see me. I denied them. Yuka was fine, they said, just mentally wounded. She apparently kept asking to see me for hours. When we met again in the daylight this time, we hugged and cried and were happy that it was over.

They found Meiko's body right after rescuing us. Or, what was left of it. She had evidently gone through both arms and legs, finally dying upon trying to eat her torso. We didn't go to the funeral.

I could never play piano with both hands again. Yuka had to help me with things most of the time, but that was fine. We lived. We laughed. We won.

Red, red, _red._ The room was glowing red. This time I thought briefly that I was in hell. But, no. It was the same room I was in before except now it was red. There were many red things I saw back then. Even though I didn't sleep here, the nightmares of a queen and seven servants still haunted me.

It saddened me that I never found love again. That made sense now, considering the only one I could care for in that way died. It still hurt. It hurt so much. Why did it have to end this way? Would next time be like this too? I hoped not.

There was screaming. How could I not have noticed before? Several people screamed. Two women and one man. I wondered why they screamed and pitied them. Who knew? Maybe I would be the one screaming next time.


End file.
